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You are here: Home » Arts + Culture + Fashion » Archive » November 2007-2
November 2007-2
French Arts + Culture Archive: November 17-24, 2007
Jacques Barzun turns 100
Sant Antonio Express News. Nov. 24, 2007
Noted historian and author Jacques Barzun turns 100 this year. He was
born in 1907 near Paris. His father was a prominent French writer and
diplomat. The artistic avant-garde was part of Jacques' childhood in
the years before World War I. Barzun moved to America in the 1920s and
became one of our most respected academics, author of clasics works
"Berlioz and the Romantic Century," "Darwin, Marx, Wagner," and
"Teacher in America.”
> More
Met Museum Unveils French Art Nouveau Room
New York Times. Nov. 24, 2007
The Metropolitan Museum spent a year lovingly restoring the Wisteria
Dining Room, which will be unveiled when newly renovated 19th-century
galleries open on Dec. 4, 2007. Created in 1910-14 for a Paris
apartment at 10 bis Avenue Élysée-Reclus, at the foot of the Eiffel
Tower, the room belonged to Auguste Rateau, an engineer and connoisseur
of Art Nouveau, who died in 1930. The room
languished in storage since 1966, when the Met acquired it in France.
> More
American Dancer Animates the Louvre
New York Times. Nov. 24, 2007
American dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones brought performance art
to the Louvre Museum for the first time, accompanied by a Tibetan
singer, Yungchen Lhamo, and French percussionist, Florent Jodelet. Mr.
Jones has created a 55-minute work called “Walking the Line,” which
magically brought to life a section of the Louvre below the “Winged
Victory”, normally frozen in the past.
> More
Book Review: The Muslim Headscarf Hysteria in France
The Nation. November 24, 2007
The social controversies over Muslim headscarves and the politics of
identity in contemporary France are the subject of a new book, The
Politics of the Veil. Historian Joan Wallach Scott examines the
particular French obsession with the “foulard islamique,” which
culminated in March 2004 with the adoption of a law that made it
illegal for students to display any "conspicuous signs" of religious
affiliation. The scarf controversy thrives at the toxic nexus of French
social and political identity, racism, sexism, immigration, laïcité,
and class struggle.
> More
Sarkozy Supports Internet Police for Downloaders
MSNBC. Nov. 23, 2007
Internet users in France who download music and films without paying
for them could find their web access shut down by a government body,
under a ground-breaking industry agreement backed by President Nicolas
Sarkozy. A newly proposed enforcement body would use information
collected by internet service providers to detect illegal file-sharing.
The proposals have been drawn up by a supposedly “independent” review
headed by Denis Olivennes, the chairman French retail giant Fnac, who
obviously defends his business interests. Consumer groups and even some
of Mr Sarkozy's own members of parliament attacked the proposal for a
new internet policeman as a threat to civil liberties.
> More
New York Tribute to Béjart
New York Times. Nov. 23, 2007
When
the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 49th season opens at New York
City Center on Nov. 28, 2007 it will start with a tribute to the French
choreographer Maurice Béjart, who died yesterday at the age of 80. The
company’s artistic director, Judith Jamison, left, will lead the
tribute, which will precede the company premiere of “Firebird” (1970),
the first complete Béjart ballet to be staged by an American dance
company.
> More
Badiou on Sarko
FrenchPoliticsBlog. Nov. 23, 2007
French philosopher Alain Badiou, who has become something of a guru to
a younger generation, has published a new and topical book, “Sarkozy,
de quoi est-il le nom?” Despite a few provocative
statements--sarkozysme is the new form of giscardisme, or is it the new
form of pétainisme--Badiou's diagnosis seems quite conventional: change
in global economic configuration compelling a rightward turn of social
democracies everywhere, hardening of rhetoric on the extreme left with
no means of moving from words to action, conflict-avoidance by all
opposition leaders, etc.
> More
Lyon Opera Names New Music Director
MusicalAmerica.com. November 23, 2007
Kazushi Ono, current music director of Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in
Brussels, is to be the next music director of the Opéra National de
Lyon, starting in September. He fills a post that has been vacant since
2003, when Iván Fischer abruptly departed over differences with General
Director Serge Dorny.
> More
Science to protect Lascaux paintings
Telegraph. Nov. 22, 2007
French
scientists have unveiled a plan to halt the spread of black fungal
spots threatening the prehistoric cave paintings at Lascaux. They will
apply a cocktail of anti-bacterial drugs, known as biocides, to the
black clusters. Lascaux, dubbed the Sistine Chapel of Paleolithic art,
was discovered in south-west France in 1940 but has been menaced by
algae and fungus growths.
> More
Marie Antoinette Show in San Francisco
Bay Area Reporter. Nov. 22, 2007
A new exhibition exploring the myths and legends behind
Marie-Antoinette, at San Franciscos Palace of the Legion of Honor is a
world-exclusive look at the Petit Trianon, the queen's private retreat
on the grounds of Versailles. The building is closed for a yearlong
renovation, making possible the relocation of some 100 objects to San
Francisco. It is the first time that the furnishings of the Petit
Trianon, or little chateau, have been shown together outside of France.
> More
Obituary: French Choreographer Maurice Béjart
AP. Nov. 22, 2007
French choreographer Maurice Bejart died at at Lausanne's University
Hospital on Nov. 22, 2007. Born in 1927 in Marseilles, Béjart -- real
name Maurice Berger -- studied dance in London and Paris before
becoming a leading pop choreographer in the 1950s. He was prolific with
some some 120 dances to his name, but he was more popular with
audiences than with critics. John Neumeier, director of the Hamburg
Ballet, said Bejart was “infinitely important in the new definition of
classical dance."
> More
France Loves Jewish Literatture
Haaretz. Nov. 22, 2007
French-Jewish novelist Marek Halter tells Haaretz newspaper: "You
wouldn't believe how books about Jews and Israel are in demand among
French publishing houses." Halter remembers a time not so long ago when
the mere mention of Israel would be a source of discomfort, because of
the bloody conflict with the Palestinians. Today, Israeli authors like
Amos Oz and Aharon Appelfeld are enjoying new-found popularity. The
French have welcomed Israeli literature with open arms. In March 2008,
40 books by Israeli authors will appear in translation at the annual
Paris Book Fair, which is to be launched by Israeli President Peres and
French President Sarkozy.
> More
Inside Serge Gainsbourg’s Home
Vanity Fair. Nov. 20, 2007
French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, wants, with the help of architect
Jean Nouvel, to turn her late father Serge Gainsbourg's Paris home into
a museum. For the first time since his death, she gives a tour of the
private world of France's most beloved and important songwriter.
>More
British TV Sweeps International Emmys
AP. Nov. 20, 2007
France only won one International Emmy. French actress Muriel Robin won
as best actress for her role as an infamous ''black widow'' serial
killer in the true-life drama, ''Marie Besnard -- The Poisoner.''
> More
Cosmetics Industry Develops Fake Skin for Testing
New York Times. Nov. 20, 2007
French scientists are working to develop new technologies to test
cosmetics before a European Union ban on animal testing begins in March
2009. French cosmetics giant L’Oréal has devoted more than $800 million
in the last 20 years to the development of alternatives to animal
testing. These advanced materials include reconstructed eye tissue and
tiny circles of skin developed from donor cells harvested from cosmetic
operations. Europe is the world’s leading cosmetics market, and it also
exports more than $23.4 billion worth of cosmetics every year.
> More
French 'Spiderman' Scales Part of Chinese Mountain
AP. Nov. 19, 2007
Alain Robert, the daredevil French climber nicknamed ''Spiderman''
known for scaling the world's tallest buildings, climbed 200 meters
(656 feet) near the top of Hunan province's Tianmen Mountain without
equipment Nov. 18, 2007. Instead of being arrested, this time the
climber was hailed for his exploit, shown on state television
surrounded by celebrating crowds.
>More
Cinema Review: Marconi’s Lagerfeld Confidential
Reuters. November 19, 2007
"Lagerfeld Confidential," French director Rodolphe Marconi's film about
famed designer Karl Lagerfeld is a shallow, impressionistic documentary
offering a fly-on-the-wall perspective of its subject's jet-setting
lifestyle but little actual analysis or information as to why he is
important. Those without extensive previous knowledge of Lagerfeld's
legendary career will find little here to enlighten them.
>More
Vuitton Sues Britney Spears for "Counterfeiting"
Us Magazine. Nov. 19, 2007
French luxury goods giant Louis Vuitton sued Britney Spears’s record
compay Jive, its parent company Zomba Label Group and Sony BMG and MTV
Online, in French court for upholstering the dashboard in her pink
Hummer with Vuitton’s “Cherry Blossom” design in the 2005 video “Do
Something.” According to Vuitton, “our luxury image is incompatible
with Britney’s image“. A judge in Paris agreed, decided that the clip
should be forbidden, and fined the video makers 80,000 euros for
“counterfeit”. Hey Vuitton, any publicity is good publicity, remember?
>More
Obituary: French film director Pierre Granier-Deferre
AFP. Nov. 18, 2007
Award-winning French film director Pierre Granier-Deferre died at the
age of 80 on Nov. 16, 2007. he made 25 motion pictures. His best-known
films include 1971's "The Widow Couderc" and "The Last Train" from
1973, and 1981’s "A Strange Affair.”
>More
Bourdain’s Latest Book: A Hefty Dose of Food Porn
Washington Post. November 18, 2007
French celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain is the bluntest food writer and
one of the most entertaining. His ninth book, "No Reservations: Around
the World on an Empty Stomach" (Bloomsbury USA), is a travel scrapbook
that depicts him and his crew in various states of drunkenness,
exhaustion, gluttony, and repose. It contains a hefty dose of food porn
and a touch of deftly placed romanticism.
>More
Forgotten Hero: Exhibit Honors Lafayette
AP. Nov. 17, 2007
New
York Historical Society. hundreds of American counties, cities,
squares, streets and schools bear the name Lafayette, how many people
today could identify the Revolutionary War hero who helped America
defeat Britain? The New York Historical Society had student volunteers
visit locations bearing the name Lafayette, and asked passers-by who he
was. Almost nobody knew. Now the Historical Society is hosting an
exhibit marking Lafayette's 250th birthday, focusing on Lafayette’s
13-month trip across the USA in 1824-25.
>More
Book Review: France’s “New Guard Dogs”
New Left Review. Nov. 17, 2007
Serge
Halimi’s Les Nouveaux chiens de garde [The New Guard Dogs] (1997) is a
scathing political pamphlet revealing the venality and corruption at
the heart of French public and business life, and which reads like a
satirical preface to the Sarkozy experience. It documents the united
operation of French media cadres and politicians which since 1982 have
set the country squarely on a liberal-atlanticist track in pursuit of
personal wealth and power.
>More
Steve Martin Returns to Pink Panther
New York Times. Nov. 17, 2007
American
comedian Steve Martin returns to his role as the bumbling French
detective in “Pink Panther Deux.” His first Pink Panther remake in 2006
was widely panned and unfavorably compared to the classic Peter Sellers
originals.
>More
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