Kaija Saariaho passed away on June 2, 2023, leaving us with a profound sense of shock and sadness befitting the unfailing friendship between the Finnish composer and IRCAM, her "creative home" since 1982. Our ManiFeste-2023 festival is dedicated to her memory.

The immediately recognizable poetry of her music is ever present in today's concert halls. Amers, NoaNoa, Lonh, Nymphéa, Solar...her numerous works, which masterfully combine electronic and instrumental worlds, have been adopted by many performers. Since L'Amour de Loin premiered at the Salzburg Festival in 2000, Kaija Saariaho has remained at the forefront of the operatic stage. She has also left her mark on generations of musicians, through the generosity of her teaching, particularly in Paris. On June 30, 2022, Kaija was with us at the Centre Pompidou, for the closing evening of the IRCAM festival to celebrate her 70th birthday. 

On June 9, 2023, the Ensemble Intercontemporain and IRCAM will perform LichtBogen at the Cité de la Musique. "Arcs et arches de lumière", a signature for the unforgettable work and personality of Kaija Saariaho.