La Fête, the Franco-Thai cultural festival, returns for the 10th time, serving up music, art, dance and hybrids of the three. The festival runs from June 4 to July 6 at venues across Bangkok.
A recreation of Koh Phangan’s famous full moon parties will be held at Bar HI-SO at Sofitel So Bangkok.
To commemorate the relationship between France and Thailand, the festival will open with a classical concert chaired by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
MUSIC
La Fête 2014 will offer a wide array of music catering to a variety of tastes. For starters, the Parisii String Quartet will take its audience on a classical music journey with pieces from Boccherini, Haydn, Schumann, Debussy and Schubert. The concert, which will be chaired by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, is an invitation-only event that will be held at Alliance Française Bangkok on June 4 at 8pm.
For those who prefer something more upbeat, Fête de la Musique is back, with French duo Systaime/Kantes for a night of electro music. Thai bands and DJs will also perform, and audience members will get to bask in the feast of music while enjoying a sky-high view of Bangkok at Zense of Zen World on June 6 at 8pm.
The highlight of the festival has to be the La Fête HI-SO Full Moon Party. This recreation of Koh Phangan’s famous full moon party will set the night alive in the heart of Bangkok. DJ Space Monkey, DJ Skinny Mark and percussionist Pirasuth Pattanajindarak (aka “Num” of the Thai reggae-ska band T-Bone) will transform the rooftop of Bar HI-SO (Sofitel So Bangkok) into a glow-in-the-dark party on June 12 at 9pm.
Ending this year’s La Fête will be a concert by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra at the Main Hall of the Thailand Cultural Centre. The classical finale will feature two stars of London’s West End, Robyn North and David Shannon, who have both appeared in The Phantom Of The Opera. Together with conductor Roderick Dunk, the show will deliver songs and themes from classic films with the first part paying tribute to French composers like Claude-Michel Schönberg, who penned the music for Les Misérables, and Maurice Jarre, who won Academy Awards for the scores of Lawrence Of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago. The concert is scheduled for July 6 at 8pm.
DANCE
Beginning the dancing spree is LOSS, a duet performance of French company A.lter S.essio and Thai choreographer Pichet Klunchun.
The dance is a re-choreographed version of a solo performance of Japanese dancer Yum Keiko Takayama. The performance will be staged on June 11 at 8pm at the Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Building of Chulalongkorn University.
A prize is up for grabs in the much-anticipated hip hop battle set to break the stage at Alliance Française Bangkok on June 15.
The show will see hip hop and breakdancers from around the country competing for the title. To spice up the competition, the award-winning Pockemon Crew from France will also participate. The contest will begin at 2pm, with the semi-final round starting at approximately 6pm.
The Pockemon Crew will also perform Silence, On Tourne!, a dance show inspired by cinema of the 1930s and 40s. The production will be staged at Aksra Theatre King Power on June 18 at 8pm.
EXHIBITION
Freddie Mercury’s famous line, “Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?” goes well with the “Science/Fiction: Journey to the Centre of Life” exhibition, which will be held at TK Park from June 14-22.
Visionary French writer Jules Verne’s work, which combines science, literature and photography, will be showcased for spectators of all ages. The Alliance Française Bangkok will open its doors for the “Entr’Ecoles – Regards croisés” exhibition from June 26-July 11. Showcased will be the work of two exchange students from a Franco-Thai residency programme, Chaiwat Wiansantia from Silpakorn University and Laura Caillaux of Paris’ School of Fine Arts.
Art enthusiasts can experience a heavy dose of aesthetic beauty on July 5, when several downtown galleries will be open until late. “Galleries’ Night” will be full of contemporary art and cocktails. The gallery tour will allow art lovers to run rampant though the creative scenes of Bangkok.
OTHERS
The magical Notte by 14:20 Company is a must-see event. The show will immerse audiences in darkness, combining elements of music, dance, juggling and light effects to create a soothing and surreal atmosphere, taking them on
a dreamlike journey.
Shadow puppets abound in Borders (Frontières), a collaborative work between French company Les Rémouleurs and Chiang Mai puppetmasters. The show is set around the theme of migration and will be held on June 23-24 at 8pm at Alliance Française Bangkok.
A much-anticipated hip hop battle will pit one crew against another.
The award-winning Pockemon Crew from France will perform a dance show.
