The Auditorium

This breathtaking space, like the prow of Frank Gehry’s “ship”, is flooded with light and offers expansive views of the surroundings, engaging in constant dialogue with the cascade of water and the “Grotto” to create a unique and inspiring concert hall. With a capacity ranging from 320 to 1,000 spectators depending on the configuration, the Auditorium offers visitors a truly special experience thanks to its exceptional acoustics and innovative equipment.

In order to reflect the diversity and vitality of the world of music, the Fondation hosts a programme of classical, jazz and contemporary concerts in the Auditorium. Since its inaugural recital on 24 October 2014 given by Lang Lang, the Auditorium has welcomed many distinguished international artists including Tedi Papavrami, Yuja Wang, Vladimir Spivakov, Matthias Pintscher, Krystian Zimerman, Alexandre Kantorow...

Since 2018, the Auditorium has been giving a special place to jazz with the creation of the "Piano Jazz Sessions" which, in the same vein as the classical programme, present some of the major pianists in this repertoire, along with talents yet to be discovered, offering a wide range of unique musical experiences. These jazz sessions, which take place over several days, are an annual rendezvous for music lovers, curious to discover or rediscover contemporary music, live. These sessions have featured such greats as Ahmad Jamal, Chick Corea, Brad Mehldau, Yaron Herman, Elliot Galvin and Herbie Hancock.

The Fondation also supports educational activities and emerging artists. It holds events to showcase promising new performers, with its recital series New Generation Piano and its Classe d’Excellence de Violoncelle masterclasses led by Gautier Capuçon.

The Fondation invites artists and intellectuals to participate in cultural events that tie in with its exhibitions. These conferences, debates and talks are held at the Fondation and offer a fresh perspective on the artwork exhibited. 

Those events are broadcast live and available in replay on the Fondation's Youtube channel, or on FLV Play video plateform.

In addition to its role as a performance venue, the Auditorium also serves as a museum space that allows the public to admire Gehry’s architecture and site-specific works by Ellsworth Kelly. The commissions take many different forms. Displayed in different areas of the building, inside and outside, they reflect artists’ responses to the architecture of Frank Gehry.

Especially designed for the Auditorium of the Fondation, Spectrum VIII is the result of an artistic research on the colour and acoustics of this place.

Designed for the Auditorium, Colored Panels consists of six monochrome panels of different sizes that combine a strong visual impact with an acoustic quality in keeping with the purpose of this space at the Fondation Louis Vuitton.