When and where to see native-language performances in Lyon?

Lumière Festival: the event for original-language films

A major gathering for cinema lovers in France, the Lumière Festival draws a flock of stars from around the globe along with many non-French-speaking filmgoers. To adapt to its cosmopolitan audience, the festival screens most of the films in their original language, some with French subtitles.
Running from Saturday the 11^th to Sunday the 19^th of October 2025, the festival will include a retrospective of the work of the socially-conscious American film director Martin Ritt. It will also offer a chance to watch ‘Into the Wild’ again or the first time, in the presence of Sean Penn – one of this year’s special guests – and ‘Black Swan’ as part of a masterclass given by Natalie Portman. Music lovers will not want to miss the ciné-concerts, or films screened to live musical accompaniment. This year, two silent films by Swedish director Victor Sjöström will be screened at the Lyon Auditorium to music performed by the Lyon National Orchestra.

Sens Interdits festival: the international theatre biennale not to be missed!

From the 10^th to the 31^st of October 2025, the Lyon metropolitan area will welcome the world with open arms for the festival Sens Interdits. This socially-engaged festival puts the spotlight on artists from around the globe, who come to express the upheavals of their countries and the world in their native tongues. During this ninth edition, artists from places like Chile, China, Lebanon, Palestine, Russia, Rwanda, Taiwan and Ukraine will share deeply moving stories.
You can see them perform at several venues around Lyon and the metropolitan area, including: Théâtre du Point du Jour, Théâtre des Célestins, Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse, Les Subs and Théâtre National Populaire (TNP) in Villeurbanne… 

Théâtre des Célestins and Théâtre National Populaire: original-language programmes

In the Presqu’île district, Théâtre des Célestins also welcomes performances in their original language outside of the Sens Interdits festival. Four other international shows are playing there during the year: The Brotherhood, in Brazilian Portuguese and English with French and English surtitles (6, 7 and 8 November 2025); Gaviota, in Spanish with French surtitles (4 to 8 February 2026); Une maison de poupée, in English with French surtitles (28, 29 and 30 April 2026); Timber, a show with no dialogue (19 to 23 May 2026).

Elsewhere, in Villeurbanne, Théâtre National Populaire is putting on shows in their original language with French surtitles, like Amadoca, a show in French and Ukrainian (11 to 24 October); Le Sommet, a multilingual show with surtitles (7 to 12 November); Traviata – Vous méritez un avenir meilleur, the famous opera piece revisited as part of the Festival de l’Opéra de Lyon, in spoken and sung French and Italian (22 to 29 March 2026); and Le Petit Prince, a show in French and Mandarin Chinese (30 May to 6 June 2026).

Universal concerts and ciné-concerts at the Auditorium de Lyon

A universal medium by nature, music speaks to all regardless of language. With this in mind, there are many concerts to be enjoyed at the Auditorium de Lyon. From symphony orchestras to chamber music, world music and piano recitals, there is something to please the seasoned concertgoer or the curious listener.

If you’re more of a film fan, then you can watch a screening accompanied by live music at a ciné-concert. In addition to those screened during the Lumière Festival, the Auditorium is showing several films in their original language, including Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho scored by Bernard Herrmann (4, 5 and 6 December) and Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator with music composed by Chaplin and Meredith Willson (19, 20 and 21 March). 

Dance – an artform without borders 

Since the 7^th of September, Lyon has been marching to the beat of the Dance Biennale. As ever, this event is embracing the globe, bringing in a wealth of choreographers and dancers from all over, with a special focus on Brazil this year. And when it is the body speaking, everybody can understand, as the poetry of movement transcends linguistic barriers.
Once the Biennale is over, you can take in yet more dance performances at the Maison de la Danse and the Lyon Opera House.

Original-language comedy at Complexe Comedy club

Once a month, Complexe Comedy Club puts on an original-language stand-up night. Each fourth Tuesday of the month from the 23^rd of September 2025 to the 23^rd of June 2026, one or more artists will perform in their mother tongue, creating laughter without borders.