Chanson: Keren Ann & Quatuor Debussy
Hamburg International Music Festival
Classicism with electric guitar
Strings have never been out of place in the arrangements of singer-songwriter Keren Ann. The French chansonnière used orchestral timbres on her first album »La biographie de Luka Philipsen« (2000). Twenty years into a career that began with French-language songs and a collaboration with Benjamin Biolay, Keren Ann now conducts something of a retrospective – and that with a string quartet.
On their latest album, released in 2022, Quatuor Debussy present ten excellent arrangements of Keren Ann’s songs, from her first (and biggest) hit »Jardin d’hiver« to newer songs in English. The four string players add far more than sumptuous colouring; their music infuses the songs with a distinct texture.
Apart from that, the unusual and gifted singer relies entirely on her clear, elegiac voice. She also plays the acoustic guitar and often uses the electric guitar and a wonderful tremolo to great atmospheric effect. Its sound provides a soft, soothing contrast to the sophisticated classicism of the rest of the timbre. There is now an opportunity to discover how well that works live in Keren Ann’s concert with Quatuor Debussy in the Elbphilharmonie Recital Hall as part of the Hamburg International Music Festival, which features a spotlight on the new French chanson scene for the first time this year.
Performers
Keren Ann vocals
Quatuor Debussy
Christophe Collette violin
Emmanuel Bernard violin
Vincent Deprecq viola
Cédric Conchon violoncello
Estimated end time
22:00
Promoter: HamburgMusik
Location
:
Elbphilharmonie
Kleiner Saal
The Recital Hall, designed in contrast to the Grand Hall in the classic »shoebox« style, offers seating for up to 550 people.
-
Arrival time
The Elbphilharmonie is a special building situated in a special place. Allow for plenty of time for getting to the Elbphilharmonie and the way to the concert area. We suggest visitors arrive at the Elbphilharmonie Plaza not later than 30 minutes before the start of the concert or event. Late seating is not guaranteed and latecomers may not be admitted to the concert hall.
Concert tickets for the Grand and Recital Halls authorise a visit to the Plaza from two hours before the start of the concert or event. Visitors to the Kaistudios require a separate Plaza ticket to visit the Plaza.
Admission times:
Events without pre-concert talk:
Recital Hall Foyer: 60 minutes before the start of the event
Recital Hall: 30 minutes before the start of the eventEvents with pre-concert talk:
Recital Hall Foyer: 90 minutes before the start of the event
Recital Hall: 15 minutes before the start of the talkIf a pre-concert talk is offered for this event, it is noted above under PROGRAMME.
-
Finding your seat
All visitors enter the building via the main entrance. Admission takes place in the entrance foyer and is by concert ticket only. The »Tube«, an 82-metre-long, curved escalator, leads visitors up to the Plaza following admission
The Recital Hall is situated on the 10th floor and can be accessed via a stairway or lift. A cloakroom is located in the Recital Hall foyer.
-
Cloakroom
Walking-stick umbrellas, handbags larger than DIN A3 (42 cm x 30 cm) as well as sport bags, backpacks and suitcases must be checked in at the cloakroom. Wheeled walkers be handed in at the hall entrances. Baby carriages can be left with the service personnel at the Plaza. There are additional lockers in the corridor leading to the ticket shop/box office on the ground floor/entrance area.
Jackets may be taken into the hall.
Cloakroom fee: €2.00
-
Seat preview
Are you curious to find out what kind of view of the stage different seats have? To help select your favourite seat, use your mouse to activate the representative seat views.
-
Getting here
Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
Platz der Deutschen Einheit
20457 HamburgThe Elbphilharmonie can be easily reached by bus, underground, bicycle and ferry.
The nearest stops include:
Underground line U3: Baumwall
Underground line U4: Überseequartier
Bus 2, 111: Am Kaiserkai (Elbphilharmonie)
Bus 6: Auf dem Sande (Speicherstadt)
Ferry 72 (from Landungsbrücken pier): »Elbphilharmonie« pier
StadtRAD (bicycle sharing system) stations: U Baumwall (Elbphilharmonie) and Am Kaiserkai / Großer GrasbrookMultistorey car park in the Elbphilharmonie (open 24/7, 435 parking spaces):
Please note that visitors to the Elbphilharmonie should use the entrance marked »Elbphilharmonie«. The entrance »Elbphilharmonie Hotel« is reserved for »The Westin Hamburg« hotel guests.Please find more information about prices and advance booking of the discounted flat rate on this page: arrival by car
-
Accessibility
All halls and spaces are accessible for visitors with disabilities. More information at www.elbphilharmonie.de/en/accessibility.
-
Photography and video recordings
It is forbidden to take photographs or record videos during a concert or event. Video recordings and photography are permitted for private purposes only on the Plaza and in the foyers as well as before the start or following an event in the concert hall, provided that you respect the privacy of other visitors and do not interfere with regular business operations. Employees may not be photographed or filmed.
Photography, audio or video recordings of concerts and events are strictly prohibited.
Event-related video recordings or photographs for editorial or commercial purposes must be authorised by the Press Office of the Elbphilharmonie.

Saved events
Login required. If you do not have an Elbphilharmonie customer account, registering is quick and easy.