Le Chant Végétal

Le Chant Végétal brings to life, in the form of a poetic and musical recital, the eponymous collection by Marcelle Delpastre (1925–1998). It showcases the power and beauty of this great poet’s words; she remained a farmer in Limousin until her death while composing a major body of work.

Performed by a choir of individuals undergoing psychiatric treatment, alongside a temporary local choir formed in each region where we perform, the voices come together to offer a living hymn to the plant kingdom and its extraordinary richness—both tangible and symbolic.

The performance is part of an artistic exploration of choral theater, nourished by poetry and musicality. Here, it takes the form of a choral rendition of poetic speech, carried by a chorus of narrators—up to 30 voices reciting the same text. This speech is interwoven with soundscapes and rhythms derived from a collection of raw, plant-based instruments created specifically for the project.

This production is the result of a long-term arts outreach initiative led by Juliette Kempf in collaboration with the psychiatry department at Nantes University Hospital since 2017. It now continues beyond the hospital’s walls.