Shanghai Daily news

A scene from the opera “Les Paladins,” one of the productions brought to Shanghai from France as part of Shanghai International Arts Festival.

The cultural extravaganza -- the ``Year of France in China'' -- coincides with the upcoming Sixth Shanghai International Arts Festival.
The festival, which kicks off on Friday, includes a project entitled ``French Culture in Shanghai'' and features a host of cutting-edge performances and exhibitions from France.
``Our aim,'' said Claude Hudelot, cultural attache at the French Consulate-General in Shanghai, ``is to show the Chinese people that France is more than a romantic ideal, the Eiffel Tower or medieval castles; we want to present our country as a modern center of culture, art and science and to give people an opportunity to meet the `creators'.''
On the program list is a multi-million-yuan production of the Baroque opera, ``Les Paladins,'' and it promises to be a highlight of the cultural exchange between the two countries.
The opera's producers chose Shanghai as the first stop of its world tour right after the work's Paris debut in May. Co-produced by Theater Musical de Paris Chatelet and the UK Barbican Center, the opera will present Shanghai audiences with a splendid blend of exquisite Baroque music, avant-garde costume designs and dazzling visual effects.
``The Sino-French cultural exchange program has more closely connected the artists and people of China and France, which makes it possible for us to see such a latest and innovative work ahead of audiences elsewhere in the world,'' renowned pianist Xu Zhong, artistic director of the project, said yesterday.
Xu, who lived in France for 12 years, added that Chinese characters and dance music will be featured at the end of the opera to add an Oriental flavor to the production.
Other program highlights include a gala fireworks display staged by France's Group F, the team behind the spectacular millennium celebrations at the Eiffel Tower and the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Athens this summer. The show they will present in Pudong's Century Park on Friday night will start the ``French Culture in Shanghai'' events with a big bang.
One of the joint productions is the percussion collaboration between the Percussions Claviers de Lyon and the Shanghai Percussion Ensemble from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. The concert will feature the premiere of ``1+1=3,'' a percussion work written by France-based Chinese composer Xu Yi. The piece refers back to a time when all along the Silk Road, percussion was used to convey musical emotions and the musical form transmitted aesthetics from Europe to Asia and back again, so this encounter between ensembles from China and France will illuminate the cultures of both countries.
The festival's closing program, ``Sylvia,'' is a ballet featuring French ballet stars and National Ballet of China.
Top musicians and orchestras from France, including world-renowned conductor Christoph Eschenbach who is making a return trip after his successful debut last year, will be taking part in the festival.
Apart from stage productions, exhibitions of art works will serve as another cultural ambassador for France throughout the festival.
One ``must-see'' event is the exhibition of French Impressionist paintings from the renowned Musee d'Orsay in Paris. The exhibition will showcase the most representative works of 14 Impressionist painters such as Manet and Degas. The exhibition, sponsored by Louis Vuitton, is currently on show in Beijing and will move to Shanghai in December.
Another not-to-be-missed show is the Cote d'Azur Exposition which will display sculptures by Joan Miro and Pablo Picasso's ceramic works.
Performing agents from the two countries will also meet during the festival's trade fair to discuss future cultural exchanges and opportunities for more collaborations.