Arts and Culture

From 12-14 January 2018, the inaugural Adelaide French Festival will present a celebration of all things French across food, wine, fashion, music, performance, fine arts and so much more.

It all kicks off with So Frenchy So Chic in the Park at Pinky Flat on 12 January. Get ready to wine, dine and dance under the stars to the sounds of the hottest acts in French music including Féfé, Juniore, General Elektriks and L.E.J.

On the Saturday, one of France’s most exciting live acts Frànçois & the Atlas Mountains takes to the stage at Dunstan Playhouse with their distinctive mixture of afro pop, French chanson and Anglo-phonic guitar pop.

Adelaide French Festival is a proud supporter of En Direct! Tune in Wednesdays at 8 pm for contemporary chanson Française with Hetty et Steph!

Other music offerings include performances by French chanteuse Caroline Nin with Songs and Stories of the Paris Lido, Adelaide’s own Michaela Burger and Greg Wain with their award-winning show Exposing Edith, and internationally acclaimed pianist Frédéric Vaysse-Knitter will present the works of Claude Debussy. There are also performances by the Seraphim Trio, Zephyr Quartet, and get French on the River Torrens when The Baker Suite perform on the Popeye in a show called Floating Melodies: A Twist of Parisian Jazz.

In an extraordinary night to remember, Adelaide Festival Centre’s Banquet Room will transform into a French salon for an evening of contemporary art, seductive entertainment and charming French cuisine. La Soirée Cliché includes a unique live showing of Bloom body-painting by artiste Emma Hack, a tantalising menu by Cliché Executive Chef Fabien Streit, and the divine voices of Baby et Lulu featuring Abby Dobson (Leonardo’s Bride) and Lara Goodridge (FourPlay String Quartet).

Travel through Paris with the stunning exhibition Paolo Sebastian: A Journey to Paris. See the documentary and photo stills journaling Australian couture design sensation Paul Vasileff and his whimsical journey through Paris.

The fashion continues with Couture Collection as some of Adelaide’s leading couture designers including Greta Kate, Calèche, Varacalli, Eliza French and Sylvy Earl present their latest collections in a stunning parade of detail, construction and classic French femininity. These original creations, produced in South Australia, are a vibrant showpiece of the state’s design flair and ingenuity.

Adelaide Festival Centre’s Associate Director of Programming Rebecca Pearce says, “This is such an exciting time for Adelaide, celebrating our state’s new connections with France and all things French. The first Adelaide French Festival is an eclectic program of music, film, visual arts, fashion and workshops and more, with something for all tastes and ages. From full on Francophiles to those just discovering all that French culture has to offer, this festival has something for everyone so come and immerse yourself in this incredible French feast.”

The Gathered Market at Adelaide Festival Centre will bring together independent stallholders showcasing bespoke homewares, jewellery, stationery, art, prints and garments. Soak up the intimate, wholesome atmosphere of a French village marketplace while grazing for gifts, treats and treasures amidst Adelaide’s creative community. There will also be a rich array of decadent tastes and seductive smells on offer during the festival with delights from La Buvette, The Smelly Cheese Shop, Crepe Bar, La Provence, Popsicool, the Pol Roger Bar and Kronenbourg. Adelaide Festival Centre’s free stage on the Riverdeck will come alive with the sounds of French music from gypsy jazz to chanson français with live music, DJs and roving performers. These include Louise Blackwell & The French Set, La Mauvaise Repuatation, DJ WiPod, DJ Guillaume Vetu, The Coconut Kids, Extemporal and Bamboozled.

Get hands-on with a range of free and ticketed activities including create your very own French perfume using the finest raw materials from the world’s leading suppliers; be inspired by Le Cordon Bleu culinary institute as they share pâtisserie techniques; tantalise your taste buds with Pol Roger Masterclasses; take a French Culture and Language Workshop with Alliance Française d’Adélaïde; try your hand at pétanque, create your own flower crown or have your hair styled like a French movie star at Le Coiffeur beauty salon in the Dunstan Playhouse foyer.

There’s also plenty of French fun for the kids including Le Cordon Bleu – Junior Sous Chef Workshop, art classes with Little Picasso Art, The Froggie’s Club and the beautiful production of There’s a Rabbit in the Moon from French theatre company Vélo Théâtre.

Adelaide Festival Centre and Nexus Arts present A Trip To The Moon – a special screening of the iconic short films of French filmmaker George Méliès accompanied by original live soundtracks composed and performed by leading Adelaide musicians. And, for the first time in Australia, award-winning French photographer Michel Setboun will present his fine art photo exhibition Paris Dark Light, an intimate photographic trip to Paris.

There is also a family French film program at Mercury Cinema, A French Weekend at Carrick Hill, tours of the unique collection of French Art and Napoleonic items at the David Roche Foundation House Museum and much more.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier says, “Adelaide Festival Centre has always led the way when it comes to creating new cultural connections and the inaugural Adelaide French Festival is a great example of this. Our redeveloped Festival Centre will turn to face the river and, along with our new Walk of Fame, northern promenade, and cafes, bars and restaurants, will provide the perfect setting for this celebration of French culture.”

For more details and tickets, visit the Adelaide French Festival website here. To listen back to En Direct!, go to their program page here.

Image supplied.