Concert of gregorian chant and breton hymns
A musical narrative blending storytelling, Gregorian chant and traditional Breton song
The Immortals of Landévennec is a musical narrative inspired by one of the great founding legends of medieval Brittany. Originally passed down through oral tradition, the Life of Saint Guénolé was recorded in the 9th century by the monk and chronicler Gurdisten. It is this tale that Hélène Derieux, a medievalist and doctor of musicology, has translated and adapted for a contemporary audience. It centres on a small group of monks led by Abbot Guénolé, searching for a place to live out their vocation of prayer, until they discover, at the mouth of the River Aulne facing the sea, the site where Landévennec Abbey would be founded.
This one-woman musical follows this community from their search for a site to their journey towards the hoped-for paradise. This founding narrative reads like a biblical paraphrase and a Celtic Christian reinterpretation of major scriptural themes: the twelve disciples, the crossing of the sea, Jacob’s ladder.
The concert also brings together two traditions that run through Hélène Derieux’s career: medieval Latin sacred chant, known as ‘Gregorian chant’, and Breton hymns. From this encounter springs a form of living fidelity that is at once musical, spiritual and commemorative.
Having already been performed from France as far afield as Mexico, *Les immortels de Landévennec* finds in the acoustics of Saint-Nicolas Cathedral a sacred architectural space that carries the voice and encourages inner reflection. More than just a concert, this performance is an invitation to rediscover a living Christian heritage, where storytelling, the beauty of song and the spiritual quest come together.
Cast: Hélène Derieux, vocals and narration
Dates and timetable
5 November 2026
Thursday
20:00 - 21:00
Cathédrale St-Nicolas
Rue du Pont-Suspendu
1700 Fribourg
