The Maîtrise Populaire’s artistic and pedagogical curriculum

All students of the Maîtrise pursue their schooling within one of its partner state schools, following an adapted timetable. Each week, they divide their time between academic lessons and artistic training: on average 51⁄2 hours per week for Pré-Maîtrise pupils, 9 hours for secondary-school students and 111⁄2 hours for sixth-form students.

Partner state schools in Paris:

• École élémentaire Tanger B (Paris 19th arrondissement) — primary cycle
• Collège François Couperin (Paris 4th arrondissement) — lower secondary cycle
• Lycée général Henri-Bergson (Paris 19th arrondissement) — general sixth-form cycle
• Lycée professionnel Abbé-Grégoire (Paris 5th arrondissement) — vocational sixth-form cycle

Training at the Maîtrise Populaire is built upon two complementary pillars: multidisciplinary practice and stage work.

The multidisciplinary teaching is delivered by a team of thirteen teachers. Students attend classes in tap dance, choral singing, vocal technique, piano, dance and theatre, following active pedagogical approaches such as the Dalcroze method, which brings music and movement into dialogue. This approach develops rhythmic awareness, bodily awareness and self-confidence, while encouraging a swift assimilation of artistic fundamentals and ensemble work.

The second pillar is stage work. Each season, members of the Maîtrise take part in productions at the Opéra-Comique as well as in projects led by partner institutions, both in France and internationally. These experiences immerse them in the demands of live performance and the realities of professional artistic practice.

The stage thus becomes a genuine pedagogical tool. Each performance marks a new step in the student’s journey, revealing both artistic and personal growth.

The teams of the Maîtrise Populaire work in close collabora on with partner schools and families in order to support each student’s success. A dedicated academic o ce maintains regular contact with families, head teachers and school leadership teams. Individual mee ngs are held on a regular basis.

A partnership with the associa on Troisième Rive ensures the monthly presence of a psychologist on the premises. The Maîtrise Populaire is also ac vely commi ed to the preven on of sexist and sexual violence through specialised sta training, the appointment of a clearly iden ed safeguarding adult accessible to students, and awareness workshops for members of the Maîtrise.

From its very inception, the Maîtrise Populaire was conceived as a place of encounter, where young people from widely differing backgrounds might come together around a shared artistic project. The programme is built upon a dual recruitment model: families may enrol their children directly for auditions, while the team also reaches out to pupils in schools across the Île-de-France region through its opera discovery programme and recruitment tour.

Each year, two rounds of auditions allow motivated young people to join the Maîtrise, with no prior level required. Applications for the 2026–2027 academic year are now closed. Please visit the auditions page for the 2027–2028 auditions.