20 September: Chanter l'icône
22 September 2025
The ModComFest concert was held on 20 September 2025 at the Petit Palais Auditorium in the heart of Paris. Entitled "Chanter l'icône" ("Singing the Icon"), the programme for a twelve-voice vocal ensemble and two tzenatzils (Ethiopian percussion instruments) offered an evocative journey inspired by the icon "All Creation Rejoices in Thee" by the Cretan iconographer Franghias Kavertzas (active c. 1615–1648), with music composed by Michel Petrossian.
Drawing on the original hymn by John Damascene, which also served as the foundation for the icon, the work unfolded as a rich dialogue between history, spirituality, and contemporary creativity.
The performance, given by the Musicatreize vocal ensemble under the direction of Roland Hayrabédian, captivated the audience with its intensity and depth, bringing Petrossian’s fascination with sacred tradition vividly to life. Complementing the music, Raphaëlle Ziadé, curator of the museum’s Byzantine collection, provided illuminating commentary on the icon’s imagery, which was gradually revealed through the video art of Samuel Bester. The visual and spatial dimension of the evening was further enhanced by a set design created by Toni Casalonga.
