A private concert on the waterside at Villa May

parisdiaHappy moments, Performing arts3 Comments

When she had lunch last June with her cousin, French cellist Dominique de Williencourt, Béatrice Bouchacourt, our hostess, was horrified to hear that this great musician and composer had to cancel all his concerts of the summer, in Korea, China and most of Europe, because of the pandemic. She and her husband Hervé Couffin, invited him to play in their … Read More

In Moulins, the Center for stage costume is open and fun!

parisdiaFashion, Performing arts1 Comment

Since all operas and theaters are closed, the Center for Stage costume in Moulins (Centre de costume de scène) seems the closest way to being in a theatre again (until November)… This very special “vault of fashion” opened by Martine Kahane and Christian Lacroix in July 2006, keeps 20 000 costumes which belong to the Paris Opera, the Comédie Française … Read More

Prix de Lausanne, a magical ballet moment

parisdiaPerforming arts3 Comments

For its 48 th edition, Prix de Lausanne was being held at the Stravinski Theatre in Montreux, which overlooks the Lac Léman, a few hundred meters from where Lord Byron sojourned. The three days I spent there seeing the 77 competitors dance for their life, were  emotional and beautiful. The Prize funded in 1973, by Philippe and Elvire Braunschweig, to … Read More

Anna Politkovskaya remembered at Le 104

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Anna Politkovskaya (1958-2006) became famous for her reporting on the Chechnyan war and she died for it. As a Russian journalist, she was constantly intimidated and threatened by the regime, arrested on suspicion of spying, and was finally assassinated in the elevator of her building. A beautiful text, “Donna non rieducabile memorandum teatrale” was written in 2007 by Italian playwright Stefano Massini. … Read More

Malandain Ballet Biarritz at Chaillot and around Europe

parisdiaPerforming arts1 Comment

Paris was a mess because of the strikes and yet Théâtre de Chaillot was fully booked for a week with Malandain Ballet Biarritz performing “La Pastorale”, a tribute to Beethoven on the 250 th anniversary of his birth, commissioned by Theater Bonn. It was the first time I saw this now famous company made of International dancers and based in Biarritz. … Read More