Inspired by the world of Antoon Krings, Les Drôles de petites bêtes is a musical production designed to introduce young children to live music from an early age. Through the beloved characters from this familiar children’s series, the project offers a poetic, sonic and visual immersion, conceived as a first, sensory encounter with contemporary musical creation.

Conceived as a contemporary Carnival of the Animals, the production brings Antoon Krings’ little creatures to life through a series of pieces composed by Clara Olivares and Aline Gorisse. Music, narration and visual imagination come together to create a form that is accessible, playful and artistically ambitious, engaging children from the age of three as well as their families.

Drawing on a familiar and reassuring literary world, Les Drôles de petites bêtes opens a door to contemporary music, encouraging attentive listening, curiosity and a sense of wonder.

The production will tour venues across the Île-de-France region throughout 2026, including the Philharmonie de Paris, as well as venues in Villeparisis, Taverny, Nogent-sur-Marne and Le Blanc-Mesnil. These performances will reach children, families and educational organisations across the region.

Alongside the performances, educational outreach activities will accompany the project, including workshops, encounters with the artists, discussion sessions and educational resources. These activities give children the opportunity to discover the instruments, sounds and creative processes involved in musical composition, as well as the collaborative work of an orchestra.

By supporting Les Drôles de petites bêtes, the Francis Kurkdjian Endowment Fund is supporting a sensitive and accessible musical project that introduces young children to contemporary music through the pleasure of listening, imagination and encounter. It contributes to making the orchestra a space for discovery, transmission and shared wonder from the earliest age.