Starting September 2020, Festival Experiences, a subsidiary company of the Festival d’Avignon presents an online series of historical content from the archives of the past 20 years of the Festival d’Avignon through a program of masterclasses entitled “Classes d’Art du Festival d’Avignon.” Free for all, the first series of masterclasses will be held from September to December and led by four eminent artists from the Festival: Theater Directors Olivier Py and Caroline Guiela Nguyen, Singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo, and Performer-choreographer François Chaignaud.
Each Classe d’Art is a 90-minute encounter with an artist divided into several chapters (all with English subtitles), complemented by up to 30 hours of the artists’ archives. In addition to these free classes, all are invited to a series of Live Talks, moderated by American experts on the arts.
In addition to the classes, talks, and digital archives, as of September 7th, 2020, all participants will have access to an exclusive Instagram private community dedicated to each artist from the Classe d’Art, allowing participants to communicate with each other as well as the artists.
The program is presented in partnership with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States.
SEASON #1 – September to December 2020
REGISTRATION: For this fall only (Season#1), registration is free of charge.
For the Classes d’Art, participants must register here. If you are a professor with a group of students, each student must register individually. Registration will give you and your students access to the entire program of the Season#1 that includes four Classes d’Art and Live Talks until December 31st, 2020.
THE CLASSES D’ART: SCHEDULE
From August 24 to October 15, 2020 – Classe d’Art with Olivier Py
From August 24 to October 31, 2020 – Classe d’Art with Caroline Guiela Nguyen
From October 15 to November 7, 2020 – a special presentation of Angélique Kidjo From November 7 to December 31, 2020 – Classe d’Art with Angélique Kidjo
From November 1 to December 31, 2020 – a special presentation of François Chaignaud
LIVE TALKS: SCHEDULE
In addition to the Classe d’Art online, Live Talks (via zoom) moderated by an American expert will be organized during the fall. An e-invitation and zoom link will be sent in due time to people who have registered to the Classe d’Art. Questions will be collected prior to the talks.
-Wednesday, September 23 – 1 PM (EST): Olivier Py: From “The Maid” to “Requiem for Srebrenica”, and to the direction of the Festival d’Avignon (extended article here)
-Wednesday, October 21 – 1 PM (EST): Caroline Guiela Nguyen: Diversity in French Theatre
-Monday, November 9 – 1 PM (EST): Angélique Kidjo: Black woman, a tribute to Leopold Senghor in the Cour d’Honneur of the Palais des Papes
-Monday, November 16 – 1 PM (EST): François Chaignaud: Archeology of Dances and Gender
Look forward to SEASON#2 launching in January 2021!
For more info: contact Nicole Birmann Bloom, Program Officer, Performing Arts, at nicole.birmann@diplomatie.gouv.fr
This article originally appeared in FrenchCulture.org and has been reposted with permission. For the original article, click here.
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