At the Comedie Francaise
The great house of French theater had to make Molière shine through a wide program that runs until July.
First with a very rich proposal of stagings in which, from the most classic to the most unexpected, Molière shines with his modernity and his multiple artistic opportunities.
The Tartuffe or the Hypocrite directed
by Ivo Van Hove,
The Misanthrope
by Clément Hervieu-Léger,
The imaginary patient
by Claude Stratz,
The Miser
by Lilo Baur,
The trickery of Scapin directed
by Denis Podalydès, or even
The Bourgeois Gentleman
by Valérie Lesort and Christian Hecq are among the plays to see at the Comédie Française.
Not to mention a rich program at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier and the Studio-Théâtre.
To discover
Discover the “Best of the Goncourt Prize” collection
In another register, we will be able to attend meetings, such as the one entitled
“Molière in his house”
with Agathe Sanjuan on March 29 or
“Molière Idole of the Romantics”
with Florence Naugrette on May 10.
Readings are also offered:
“Preface de Molière au Tartuffe”
by Loïc Corbery on April 5 or
“Molière seen by his contemporaries”
by Clotilde de Bayser on June 7.
Finally, the institution on Place Colette has set up a program of exhibitions:
"Molière aux thousand faces"
, a collection of portraits of the master, most of which are made from the portraits of his contemporaries Nicolas and Pierre Mignard ( until July in the Salle Richelieu).
"Molière on stage"
, a look back at the stagings of Molière's work that have marked the history of the theater (until July at the Vieux Colombier) and finally
"Molière in color"
(until July at the Studio -Theatre) with the preparatory drawings, gouaches and watercolors made by Charles Bétout on the occasion of the creation of new costumes to celebrate in 1922 the tercentenary of Molière at the Comédie Française.
Complete program to be found on
www.comedie-francaise.fr
Denis Podalydès and Christophe Montenez in the very contemporary Tartuffe ou l'Hypocrite at the Comédie Française by Ivo Van Hove.
Jan Versweyveld
Exhibitions
If theater is fundamentally a performing art, it is also an art whose aura has reverberated on others, like costume or music.
We discover through two exhibitions the treasures of creation that the staging of plays by Molière allowed.
Finally, two exhibitions question the figure and history of the man who became a French theater legend.
“Molière en costumes”
(at the national stage costume center in Moulins from May 26 to November 1), a wonderful way to dive into the costume archives of the Comédie Française (co-founder of the CNCS) with more than 150 costumes and models on display for the occasion.
The exhibition in partnership with the BNF will thus make it possible to understand what a formidable source of inspiration was the work of Molière.
“Molière en musiques”
a study of the place of music in Molière's ballet plays and comedies (at the Opera Library from September 27 to January 15).
"Molière, the game of true and false"
, which studies the mythology built around the legendary figure of Molière (BNF site Richelieu from September 27, 2022 to January 15, 2023).
Tartuffe costume by Christian Lacroix worn by Michel Fau in
Le Tartuffe
directed by Michel Fau, Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin, 2017. Collection of the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin.
CNCS / Florent Giffard
The city of Versailles has been celebrating the genius of the theater every year for 26 years for a month.
On the occasion of her birthday, she organizes a major exhibition
"Molière, the factory of a national glory"
and offers a return on her life as a literate creator, her national aura and her influence abroad" (at Espace Richaud in Versailles until April 17).
Conferences, study days, readings
Several university institutions, meetings or symposiums are taking advantage of this exceptional year to put Molière in the spotlight and study his work with fresh eyes.
New perspectives offered by research make it possible to reinterpret the work of Molière with a fresh look.
On June 9 and 10, the “
Molière sans frontières
”
symposium
will take place at the Montansier theater in Versailles.
It will focus on the playwright's influence abroad.
The city in full “Molière Month” will also welcome 11 professional companies in residence on this occasion.
"
Décentre Molière
"
, is a symposium organized by Yale and New York University (from April 14 to 16 in Yale and New York) aimed at drawing the portrait of Molière by his contemporaries (publishers, authors, actors, composers and journalists, etc.) .
But also, to discover the playwright through new prisms such as economy, religion, or women's rights and to question his work with less approached disciplines such as musicology, art history or through the performing arts.
Julie Sicard, Elissa Alloula and Guillaume Gallienne in the
Imaginary Invalid
at the Comédie Française.
Vincent Pontet, coll.
French comedy
The Valenciennes Musicological Meetings will also give pride of place to Molière during the colloquium
“Les interludes, comedies and ballets of Molière: Around scenic, musical and choreographic practices in the 17th century”
(May 4, 5 and 6).
In his comedies-ballets, his tragedies-ballet or pastoral Molière never forgets music and dance.
The opportunity to study these arts and their influence in the theater of the seventeenth century.
Studying Molière through the test of modern and contemporary stagings created in the 20th and 21st centuries means giving often-visited texts a new look.
This is what the symposium-festival
“
Molière through the stage, lessons from interpretation
”
will study this summer (at the French house in Oxford on June 27 to 28 and in Avignon on July 11 and 12).
And finally, what would Molière be without the stage?
Le Théâtre de poche to lend its keys to Jacques Weber and François Marthouret to highlight the work of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin as closely as possible to his words.
Readings, interpretations, improvisations, the two Molière enthusiasts bring his texts to life.
"Weber, Molière, Marthouret", from March 28, every Monday at 7 p.m., at the Théâtre de Poches Montparnasse, 75, bd du Montparnasse (6th) www.theatredepoche-montparnasse.com
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