Volare: A musical “flight” to the bird paradise

Whether it was swallow parents feeding, a kingfisher conducting a bird choir or a golden eagle gliding on the Matterhorn: the birds of Switzerland were the focus of the Rendez-vous Bundesplatz light and sound spectacle in 2024. For five weeks, the parliament façade was illuminated three times an evening in the vibrant colours of nature – accompanied by cheerful chirping and lively music. One of the audience’s favourite scenes: the heart-warming mating dance of the cranes to the sounds of Edith Piaf’s “Non, je ne regrette rien”.

The 2024 programme was a real hit with people of all ages. Many thanked us for the fantastic spectacle, and we were able to build on the success of the years before 2020. Children and parents, couples and friends exchanged ideas several times about which bird was on the parliament façade. This was done entirely in the spirit of this year’s content partner, the Sempach Ornithological Institute, which is committed to promoting knowledge about the local bird world.

“Personally, I would like to thank all sponsors and supporters for their financial commitment. Without this support, there would be no such great event,” emphasises Brigitte Roux. In addition to the Sempach Ornithological Institute, many long-standing partners were on board in 2024, including the Vinetum Foundation, the City of Bern, Migros Culture Percentage, Migros Aare, the Burgergemeinde Bern, Energie Wasser Bern (ewb) and the Berner Kantonalbank Cultural Promotion Fund.

Together with the light artists from Lumine Projections in Vienna and the technicians from Okula in Zurich, we are already creating the next story. The 15th Rendez-vous Bundesplatz is planned for 18 October up to and including 22 November 2025.

Starlight Events GmbH

Brigitte Roux