Cultural Programming 2008-2009
Monday, April 07, 2008
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Dear Friends,
Getting French or Francophone intellectuals and artists together with American audiences remains an on-going challenge.
It is a challenge because the public’s curiosity must be piqued and nurtured. It is also an adventure, however, thanks to the diversity of themes and personalities, the extreme variety of cultural environments, the daily problems you face in organizing these events and the promise of future partnerships. It is also a pleasure, for each lecture reveals new questions, initiates new discussions and opens new horizons for thought. This is an adventure that we hope to pursue with you next year, following in the footsteps of the 2007-2008 program drawn up by Thierry Lagnau, which, judging by the record number performances and lectures brought to you during that season, was a tremendous success. In 2008-2009, approximately thirty lecturers will join us to speak on a wide range of subjects: Hervé de Charette, a most appropriate guest, will open our season to talk about the French presidency of the European Union. Catherine Clément, Julia Kristeva, Elisabeth Roudinesco, Roger-Pol Droit and Yves Michaud will turn the spotlight onto philosophy, psychoanalysis, and linguistics to shed new light on social issues. Laurence Tubiana will open the discussion on sustainable development, May Morris and Lucia Reining, will discuss assignments from the CNRS, advancements in scientific research and equality of opportunity in fields meant to serve humanity and not individual interests. Ananda Devi, Olivier Philipponnat and Jacques Géraud will provide a look at literature. A new life-style series will be launched under the leadership of three experts: Michel Richart, chocolate artist, Alexandre Martin, œnologist, and Christophe Laudamiel, perfume-maker. Many of the speakers will adapt their presentations to young audiences.
The Federation of Alliances Françaises, USA has agreed to provide major support for the project French America, through a lecture/exhibition by Ron Katz and Arielle de la Tour d’Auvergne. The World Affairs Council of America (WACA) will continue its support for the lecture tours of four economic and political experts. New partners collaborating on General Delegation projects include: the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, (CNRS), the Rotary Club de Paris Académies, the Uni-press agency and the Département du Théâtre et de la Danse of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York (Synergie 2), which will have a similar format to that of the Synergy program that will be continued in collaboration with the Service du Livre. The artistic season will also welcome a new series, “urban cultures” which focuses on current forms in constant flux: hip-hop, slam, electronic music, etc. Again, there will be performances aimed at young audiences, as well as a mime in homage to Marcel Marceau.
From the worlds of jazz, theater, francophone music, and classical, contemporary and baroque music come the great names CharlElie Couture, les Frères Ferré, Orange Blossom, Manuel Wandji, and more. After Le Mozart des Pickpockets won the Oscar for best live action short film for 2008, it is hard to resist the temptation not to welcome the new Lutins du Court-Métrage, the festival advocating visionary, subtle and popular art and experimental cinema. The polyphonic, playful and provocative work of Issa Nyaphaga, a politically-committed plastic artist, will be part of Black History Month celebrations.
We hope that these dreams will resonate with your own desires.
Sincerely yours,
Isabelle Gruet
Assistant General Delegate
To see the complete 2008-2009 cultural offering:
Lectures 2008-2009
Performances 2008-2009