Alliance Française French Festival
Image of Volcanic La Réunion — the focus for 2010 French Festival
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| Country and Region | Australia — South Australia |
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| Type of Festival | Dance, Music |
| Location of Festival | Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Festival Contact Information | Alliance Française French Festival |
| Festival Description | The focus of the 7th biennial French Festival, to be held in Adelaide on 13 and 14 November 2010, will be the French volcanic island of La Réunion. Presented by the Alliance Française (celebrating the 100th anniversary of establishment in Adelaide this year) the French Festival is the only one of its kind in Australia. A celebration of all things French, each new festival focuses on a specific region or department of France presenting the region’s food, cultural, ecological and travel experiences in a two-day outdoor-fair environment. The 2010 Festival will feature performers from La Réunion across three stages located around the Carrick Hill estate in suburban Springfield, as well as children’s activities, cooking demonstrations, French wines and produce stalls. The French Festival regularly records more than 6000 attendances. Previous Festivals have focused on various regions including Normandy, Provence and New Caledonia. The full program for the 2010 Réunion Festival will be released in August. The sister island of Mauritius, La Réunion is a tropical French island in the Indian Ocean on the east of Madagascar off the coast of East Africa. La Réunion is home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes – the show capped shield volcano Piton de la Fournaise. It is sometimes called a sister to Hawaiian volcanoes because of the similarity of climate and volcanic nature. The Island blends French with Indian, African and Chinese influences and is an outermost region of the European Union. Renowned for its production of sugar, rum and vanilla La Réunion features a diverse landscape and is regarded as an adventure traveller’s paradise where hiking, surfing, diving game fishing and paragliding opportunities abound. French and Réunion Creole are the main languages although some English is spoken. The region has set tourism activity as a priority for 2010. L’Alliance Française Director, head of the festival, Philippe Marsé said, ‘It is timely that the French Festival focus on the unique Island of La Réunion as only last year the French airline of the Indian Ocean, Air Austral, commenced a twice weekly direct service from Sydney to Paris via Réunion island. La Réunion is now a new midway point on a flight from Australia to France. A La Réunion stopover with Air Austral on route to France from Australia offers a new French all-the way experience. Air Austral also links La Réunion with neighbouring islands of Mayotte, Mauritius and the Seychelles with South Africa and France.’ |
| Festival Dates | November 13 - 14, 2010 |
| Festival Links |
Festival Events:
Highlighted Artists 2010:
- Nathalie Natiembe, a renowned name in the genre of World Music, has recorded with Sting’s musicians. Nathalie will perform a mixture of traditional Maloya with African/Indian Ocean sounds, and traditional French songs (influenced by Edith Piaf, Charles Trenet,..).
- Meddy Gerville, a jazz pianist who has performed with some of the biggest names in the jazz world in both Europe and the United States, will present a very special “twilight” jazz concert on the evening of Friday 12th November.
- Fabrice Legros, is the new hope of Reunion Island music singing the rhythms of the Indian Ocean with blues and jazzy influences such as Sting and Chet Baker. A folk singer, he likes to dip into the Maloya influence of his heritage and mixes it with modern standards.
- Pat’ Jaune, are ambassadors of the Reunion traditional “High country”. Formed in 1987, the group has performed their brand of cajun style folk music in Louisiana, Hong Kong, Africa and Canada. We dare you not to dance after one of their humoristic Creole polkas or spicy mazurka!
- JF Gang is a multi-talented self taught instrumentalist. His concerts in Adelaide are part of the great success story he has been living for the past year. He won many prizes in France as new hope of the Reunion Island music. Come and meet this vibrant musician.
- Les Tambours Sacrés, are drummers who create a sensation wherever they perform on the streets or on stage with their percussive Indian rhythms. Heirs of the first Indian settlers, this young formation will bring a vibrant multicultural hint to the French Festival. They also are the guests of the Credit Union Christmas Pageant 2010, and will play their brilliant music in the streets of Adelaide.
- Soul City, dance from Reunion Island will be represented by contempary Hip Hop group Soul City. Composed with members Kenji (choreography), Norton Antivilo and Shany Arzeux, the company has strong dance experience, from old school hip hop to street jazz and contemporary creations.
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