Solidarity with Mayotte: Supporting Reconstruction
A year and a half after Cyclone Chido struck on December 14, 2024, Fondation de France continues its efforts to support affected populations, whose needs
Founded by opera singer and vocalist Benjamin Alunni, Chant de Linos gives shape to the belief that music can transform an idea, a question, or an experience into something that has the power to change us. Based in Paris with a deep commitment to international collaboration and exchange, the organization’s mission is to support the creation of new musical works that foster dialogue between academic research and artistic practice while promoting intercultural narratives.
From exploring the intercultural roots of France’s musical heritage to illuminating social issues that might otherwise go unsung, its projects unfold through concerts, recordings, educational workshops, and collaborations with artists and cultural institutions across France and beyond.
In 2026, Benjamin Alunni was named an artist-in-residence at Villa Albertine at Villa Albertine in New York city, exploring how singing can play a role in improving the well-being and resilience of people living with HIV, building on deep connections with the United States, where Chant de Linos has supported projects celebrating French-American connection through song. Learn more here.
By bringing together composers, performers, researchers, and audiences, Chant de Linos creates spaces where artistic creation becomes a means of reflection and exchange, serving as a powerful tool for connection.
Since its founding in 2016, Chant de Linos has led a series of musical projects grounded in a distinctive approach blending collaborative musical creation with scholarly research. Shaped by a thought-provoking question or theme, each project explores how music can illuminate history, identity, and contemporary society through original artistic creation.
Confluences, a four-language double album featuring previously unreleased works, examined the shared influences between French and Jewish musical traditions, while Anochecer en España, developed with pianist Fernando Palomeque, traced a musical journey from France to Argentina by way of Spain, revealing the cultural exchanges that have shaped the repertoire across generations and continents.
The organization also commissions new works that encourage audiences to engage with pressing social questions. Zylan ne chantera plus, a chamber opera for young audiences inspired by a true story of homophobia and produced with the Opéra de Lyon, has been performed more than twenty times, creating opportunities for dialogue around discrimination and inclusion. Strange Land, a poetic oratorio created with the United Instruments of Lucilin ensemble, premiered in Luxembourg and at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art before leading into several days of workshops for young musicians. The organization has also supported the premiere of Chemot, a concerto by François Meïmoun for two pianos and orchestra, performed in Mexico City by Michel Dalberto, Sacha Morin, and the Ofunam Orchestra under the direction of Sylvain Gasançon.
Alongside these creations, Chant de Linos develops performances that foster intercultural exchange and bring musical heritage to new audiences, particularly with the United States. A Musical Salon, created with music historian Vincent Giroud in 2022, celebrates French-American friendship through song and has been presented eleven times at universities and cultural institutions across the United States. Future editions may be developed in partnership with institutions and patrons seeking to support new opportunities for artistic exchange and celebration of French-American cultural ties.
Together, these projects reflect Chant de Linos’s commitment to commissioning original works, reviving overlooked musical histories, and building international artistic collaborations that connect performers, scholars, and audiences across cultures.
Chant de Linos is led entirely by a team of dedicated volunteers and funds its work primarily through private philanthropy from individuals and foundations. With Friends of Fondation de France, U.S. donors can make tax-deductible donations in support of Chant de Linos, enabling you to help:
Your support helps bring Chant de Linos’s musical projects to life, creating unforgettable moments of connection, discovery, and beauty.
A year and a half after Cyclone Chido struck on December 14, 2024, Fondation de France continues its efforts to support affected populations, whose needs
There is something fitting about meeting Benjamin Alunni at Villa Albertine in New York City, where Friends of Fondation de France holds our office. It
On the hot evening of June 21st, the streets of Paris were filled with music. Each year on this day, the Fête de la Musique,