Music at dawn
For almost ten years now, you can experience music at six o'clock in the morning at the Les bains des Pâquis outdoor pool in Geneva: Dawn Concerts. Not only the audience loves these unique events, but also the musicians.
For almost ten years now, you can experience music at six o'clock in the morning at the Les bains des Pâquis outdoor pool in Geneva: Dawn Concerts. Not only the audience loves these unique events, but also the musicians.
Imagine 500 people sitting on the terrace of an outdoor swimming pool before sunrise to greet the day to the sound of a concert! At the Bains des Pâquis, the audience comes from everywhere, from the neighborhood, the city, the surrounding area, from neighboring France, even from the canton of Vaud. And they have been coming every day for almost ten years, from mid-July to the end of August.
- "Exotic" ...
The Pâquis outdoor pool in the middle of Geneva was built as a wooden structure in the lake in 1872, became the property of the city at the end of the 19th century and was rebuilt in stone after 1930. With a rather symbolic entrance fee of two francs and free access outside of bathing hours, it is a favorite place for many Genevans and attracts almost a million visitors a year. In the 1980s, plans for more intensive use of the site by an event organizer disrupted the peace of the baths. The long-established residents founded the Association des usagers des Bains des Pâquis (AUBP) and fought to preserve the existing situation. In 1988, the citizens of Geneva voted in favor of them by 75%. Since then, the AUBP has managed the baths and organized a whole series of cultural events in this exceptional setting: Carnival, dance events, exhibitions, an Advent calendar where a changing room door opens every day - and concerts. Initially intended as a thank you to the many musicians who supported the referendum campaign, concerts at the outdoor pool soon became indispensable. And, like the other activities, they are still free today thanks to subsidies from the City of Geneva, support from the Lotterie romande and private donors.
- ... and classical music between 6.00 and 7.00 am.
- Photos: zvg
At the dawn concerts, some visitors jump into the water before it starts, everyone is offered a cup of coffee or a cold drink and they listen to a mixed program of classical music, jazz, folklore from various countries, chanson, rock and electro on the 50 or so days. The artists receive a modest fee, and after the concert they are served a hearty breakfast, which is often used to chat with the audience. Those responsible are currently preparing for the 2014 season. The fans have already set their alarm clocks so as not to oversleep.
