Pressemitteilung von Jack Gittings:
The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra opens the 8th
La Fête French Thai Cultural Festival
2 February -- 8 PM
Thailand National Theatre -- 1200, 900, 700, 500, 100 Students
This year’s La Fête opens with a concert of French music from the early 20th century in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Alliance Française. The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and 100-voice Inter-Universities Choir are conducted by Jean-Paul Penin, who holds a PhD in Biophysics and also studied music in Strasburg, Paris, and San Francisco. Under the aegis of UNESCO and the French Presidency, he was given the exclusive commission to re-create Berlioz’s Messe Solennelle after the manuscript was found, and he did the first ever recording of this opus. As director of the Czech National Radio Orchestra, he conducted the opening concert of the Dvořák Festival in 2000 and in 2002 one of his concerts with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Dresden was broadcast live in 24 different countries.
The choir is comprised of students from a number of Universities in Thailand and has been prepared by choirmaster Henri Pompidor. Henri holds a PhD in Music (Paris IV-Sorbonne). In 1997, he became the choirmaster of the Franco-Greek Choir and toured Europe with them until 2003. The following year, he was appointed Director of the Department of Choral Music at Rangsit University and a year later he joined the Faculty of Music at Mahidol where he teaches Choral Music and directs the University choirs. He is also permanent Director of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra Choir.
Program
Debussy: Petite Suite - orchestra
Gounod: Ainsi que la brise légère from Faust - orchestra and chorus
Offenbach: Valse et Final from la Belle Hélène - orchestra
Fauré: Le cantique de Jean Racine - chorus
Penin: Rencontre, Valse Parisienne - orchestra and chorus
Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte - orchestra
Offenbach: Barcarolle from Les Contes d’Hoffman - arr orchestra and chorus
Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin - orchestra
Fauré: Pavane - orchestra and chorus
Ravel: Boléro - arr orchestra and chorus
The National Theatre is located near the National Museum at the northwest corner of Sanam Luang. For a map of the area please visit
http://www.soidb.com/bangkok/theater/map.html?nk=national-theatre and look for the red circle.
Book your tickets at ThaiTicketmajor outlets, call 02-262-3456 or visit
http://www.thaiticketmajor.com/LaFete.