"THE LAFAYETTE TOUR: AN IMMERSIVE AND MUSICAL EXPERIENCE"
Concert at the Kennedy Center on April 21
AND
at the Maison Francaise, French Embassy, on April 23
France’s « Orchestre National Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes » retraces 1825 Journey of the Marquis de Lafayette in Multi-City Bicentennial Celebration of French-American Friendship.
Soldier. Freedom fighter. Statesman.
"You’ve never seen Lafayette like this — “The Lafayette Tour: An Immersive and Musical Experience” is a truly landmark opportunity to celebrate the brave legacy of “The Hero of Two Worlds” and his lifelong defense of liberty and equality.
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette — better known to Americans simply as Lafayette — was all of these. On the 200th anniversary of his acclaimed journey to the United States, the “Orchestre national Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes” — praised among French classical music lovers for its signature perfection and artistry — invites audiences to encounter Lafayette a new through a sight and sound celebration of the man who unconditionally devoted himself to the heroic cause of American independence. Simultaneously weaving the tale of Lafayette’s iconic life with music emblematic of his era and an innovative film from Holymage Studios — one of France’s pioneering creators of visual cultural experiences — “The Lafayette Tour” has been hailed by sold-out French audiences. Connoisseurs of classical music, cinema, and antiquity alike will be enchanted by this singular fusion of concert, film screening, and historical adventure.
“The Lafayette Tour” performance in Washington, D.C Monday, April 21 @ 7:30 PM – Kennedy Center https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/classical-music/2024-2025/bicentennial-lafayette-tour/
Conductor and violinist: Thomas Zehetmair
Program:
Joseph BOLOGNE, Chevalier Saint-George: Anonymous lover, overture
Ruth CRAWFORD SEEGER, Andante for strings
W.A MOZART, Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major KV. 219
Thomas ZEHETMAIR, Passacaglia, burlesque and chorale for string orchestra
L. V BEETHOVEN, Great Fugue in B-flat major Opus 13 Tickets:
Use your promo code for a 30% discount : Lafayette
MONSIEUR DELON: The Films of Alain Delon
(January 31 - April 24)
The epitome of gallic beauty, style, golden boy charm and bad boy charisma, Alain Delon (1935–2024) carved a singular path in world cinema as one of France's biggest stars of the 20th century. Embracing both the mainstream and the arthouse, he made a career working with auteurs such as Jean-Pierre Melville, Jean-Luc Godard, Luchino Visconti, Michelangelo Antonioni and Louis Malle, while also enjoying an unparalleled status as an international sex symbol and bankable star. After a hardscrabble upbringing and a stint as a paratrooper, Delon came to acting almost by chance — and without any training — after being spotted by a representative of Hollywood mogul David O. Selznick at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival. His breakout roles came in 1960 with René Clément's PURPLE NOON and Luchino Visconti's ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS, which open this retrospective. His six-decade career comprised over 90 films and countless unforgettable performances in iconic films like Melville's LE SAMOURAÏ, LE CERCLE ROUGE and UN FLIC; Visconti's THE LEOPARD, Antonioni's L’ECLISSE and Jacques Deray's LA PISCINE — all featured in this series. We also spotlight Delon's work as an actor/producer on Deray's BORSALINO and Joseph Losey's MR. KLEIN, as well as his roles in cult classics RED SUN — co-starring Toshirô Mifune and Charles Bronson — and THE GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE, directed by legendary cinematographer Jack Cardiff. Join us as we bid adieu and merci to the incomparable Monsieur Delon.
Lineup below and at AFI.com/Silver
SOLEIL ROUGE (Red Sun)
Fri, April 18, 2:30 p.m.; Mon, April 21, 9:00 p.m.; Tue, April 22, 2:30 p.m.; Wed, April 23, 1:45 p.m.; Thurs, April 24, 2:30 p.m.
It is the 1970s, and the holy trinity of masculinity is vying for a priceless ceremonial sword intended as a gift for President Grant from the Japanese ambassador. Kuroda (Toshirô Mifune) has one week to recover the sword, or he and the ambassador must commit hara-kiri for having lost their honor. He is aided by Link (Charles Bronson), one of the bandits responsible for the theft who was double-crossed by his nasty partner, Gauche (Alain Delon). The unlikely duo of Link and Kuroda kidnap Gauche’s girlfriend (former Bond girl Ursula Andress) in exchange for their bounty. An international co-production between France and Italy, shot in Spain, RED SUN is a pulpy, East-meets-West action fest (tagline: “The first East-meets-West Western!”) spinning numerous plates but saved by a crack production team featuring director Terence Young (known for his Bond pictures, including DR. NO) and screenwriter William Roberts (famous for adapting SEVEN SAMURAI into THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN). DIR Terence Young; SCR Denne Bart Petitclerc, William Roberts, Lawrence Roman; PROD Ted Richmond. France/Italy/Spain, 1971, color, 112 min. In English, Spanish and Japanese with English subtitles. RATED PG