Hip-hop is a tough game in which only the best survive. In the heavily male-dominated hip-hop industry, principal dancer and choreographer Marion Motin has set out to demonstrate that in a universe of Hip-hop, women can ‘own’ the place.

Motin constructs In the Middle like a movie with light a key part. Marion Motin uses spotlights to mimic the flashing lights of cameras in order to intensify the atmosphere. She loves images and displays that defy obvious explanations – indeed, she describes the show as “a multitude of emotions, encounters, stages, as well as music, images, gestures …”, allowing her audiences to contribute to making their own interpretations.

Cross–border choreographer, Marion Motin started lessons in classical dance at just five. In 1996, she started dancing on the streets realising her passion for Hip-hop. She has worked with pop sensation Madonna and Belgian singer Stromae, which expanded her hip-hop opportunities. In 2015, she also collaborated with Christine & The Queens for her tour Chaleur Humaine.

The performance will last for approximately 1 hour with no interval.

Le French May Arts Festival & Unlock Dancing Plaza presents Emmanuelle Vo-Dinh’s new piece Simon says. Inspired by her fruitful exchange with four Hong Kong-based dancers in 2015, Vo-Dinh wanted to continue working with them to develop a piece of original choreography.
The premise was simple, let’s combine two childhood games: Simon says and the electronic parlour game Simon with its four coloured buttons where players have to recreate sequences associating sounds and colours. What they both have in common is the risk-taking, self-control, concentration, adrenaline rush… as well as the fact that both happen in a space of obedience and alienation.
With this basic idea of two games with four players, dancers from Hong Kong – who Emmanuelle Vo-Dinh met during a workshop there – travelled to Le Havre to continue working with her. Improvising, making and breaking rules as they went along, reflecting on the results, then letting go – a new challenge for the four more used to learning and assimilating choreographed steps – Simon says grew out of the artistic interface between these two approaches, blending efficiency, mastery, a love of games, and ever-reformulating situations. Between submission and rebellion, let the game begin!

Paris, the city of Love, the city of Lights, is also the city of Ballet, where the art form was born, courtesy of Louis XIV, four centuries ago.
Paris Ballet Legends, directed by Artistic Director Frederic Fontan, is a tribute to both Paris and the artists who were inspired by it: Petit to Carné, Petipa to Piaf, and Bizet to Prévert. Each piece in Paris Ballet Legends has an intimate link to the City of Lights.

These most amazing pas de deux flirts with different styles and stories: the romantic Giselle, the contemporary Non je ne regrette rien, the brilliant classic Black Swan, the daring Carmen Toujours! and néo-ballet La dame aux Camelias… The first half climaxes with three couples in multi-award winning – and true Paris-lover – Jerome Robbins’ In the Night danced to Chopin’s Nocturnes performed live by acclaimed French pianist Henri Barda.

A wonderful cast of Etoiles, international dancers, and acclaimed pianist Henri Barda instill this collection of dances with love, grace and passion.

Programme :

Giselle – Pas de deux, Act 2 with Lucie Barthelemy and Alessandro Riga
Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot choreography
Adolpe Adam music

Swan Lake – The Black Swan Pas de Deux with Ge Gao and Ryo Kato
Lev Ivanov & Marius Petipa with additional choreography by John Meehan, Carlo Pacis and Selina Chau choreography
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky music

Interlude
Henri Barda piano
Frédéric Chopin music

In The Night
Ballet for 6 dancers with Muriel Zusperreguy and Josua Hoffalt, Aida Baida and Esteban Berlenga, Agnes Letestu and Stephane Bullion
Jerome Robbins choreography

Nocturnes
Henri Barda piano
Frédéric Chopin music

La Mort du Cygne (The Dying Swan) with Esteban Berlenga
Ricardo Cue choreography
Camille Saint-Saëns music

Carmen Toujours! – Pas de deux with Lucie Barthelemy and Olivier Sarrat
Frederic Fontan and Olivier Sarrat choreography
Georges Bizet music

Les Enfants du Paradis – Pas de deux with Aida Baida and Esteban Berlenga
Jose Martinez choreography
Marc-Olivier Dupin music

Lady of the Camellias – Pas de deux with Yao Jin and Lucas Jerkander
Val Caniparoli Choreography
Frédéric Chopin Music

Les Bourgeois with Alessandro Riga
Ben Van Cauwenbergh choreography
Jacques Brel music

Non, je ne regrette rien – Pas de deux with Agnes Letestu and Stephane Bullion
Ivan Favier choreography
Edith Piaf music

Le Parc – L’abandon Pas de deux with Muriel Zusperreguy and Josua Hoffalt
Angelin Prejlocaj choreography
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart music

Incomparable Music with Vincent Larderet
Vincent Larderet & Hong Kong Music And Performing School Faculty Artist Chamber Orchestra

Honoured by the revered title of “Steinway Artist”, Vincent Larderet is worthy of the title of French highest end concert pianist of the 21st century. His 3 world première recordings total won 24 worldwide awards. Larderet is the only living French pianist received this honour with this prestigious performance excellence. Besides his solo recital, Larderet alongside with German violinist Nicolas Koeckert, Chinese cellist Chu Yi-Bing and special guest Hong Kong pianist Warren Lee brings audience an exquisite chamber music concert. French contemporary artist Isabel Ribot’s art painting exhibition and cocktail before the concert.

28 June 2017, 8:00PM

Vincent Larderet Piano Recital

Debussy Préludes, Book 2
Liszt «Après une lecture de Dante» from 2ème Année de Pèlerinage
Berg Sonata, Op 1 (New Brahms – Berg ARS SACD-CD release)
Ravel «Une barque sur l’océan» , «Noctuelles» , «Alborada del gracioso» from Miroirs (Tribute for the 80th Anniversary of the composer’s death 1937-2017)
29 June 2017, 8:00PM

Faculty Artist Chamber Concert

Ravel Sonata for Violin and Piano in G major
Piano trio in A minor
Fauré «Elegie»
«Papillon»
«Après un Rêve»
Saint-Saens Havanaise Op.83
Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso

Celebrating Le French May’s Silver Jubilee, we invite the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France (Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra) to come to Hong Kong, under the music direction of Mikko Franck.They are joined by a trio of young soloists for Beethoven’s ecstatic Triple Concerto, before bringing the authentic sound of France to Hong Kong, in Debussy’s famous evocation of The sea and Ravel’s exquisite musical telling of fairy tales in his Suite Mother Goose.

At the age of 15, His Majesty Louis XIV – France’s Louis the Great or Sun King (1638–1715) – danced to this magnificent piece in the Salle du Petit-Bourbon at Paris’ Louvre Palace. Based on the idea of a ballet within a ballet, the event lasted for 12 hours. Through five ‘dreams,’ the whole universe of the night is rolled out until dawn, before announcing the unequalled glimmer of the Sun King.

The best artists at the time from France and Italy were commissioned by Cardinal-Duke Mazarin (only recently appointed Louis’ Chief Minister) to create a unique piece to glorify young Louis’ transformation into ‘Sun King’ and in boasting of the superior status of the French Monarchy, the event acted as a political statement. With this ‘Concert’ the dazzling artistic cultural policy of the “century of Louis XIV” was launched.

The première was such a success that seven repeat performances had to be given and its reputation was firmly engraved in popular memory during Louis XIV’s entire 72-year reign. However, the score was only partly transcribed and then only 50 years later by the King’s librarian, who left the largest part of the ballet’s music unknown to future generations. Now, nearly 400 years later, the music has been rediscovered by Ensemble Correspondances’ artistic director and conductor Sébastien Daucé, who has re-constructed the piece after three years of research and reconstruction. The ballet’s modern revival was widely celebrated in 2015 at the Festival de Saintes / Royal Opera of Versailles when the ‘lost’ ballet was first brought back to life.

Especially for Le French May Arts Festival, Daucé has commissioned French video artist Etienne Guiol to create a light projection based on the iconography of costumes, marquetry from the 17th century and today, enabling us to travel back in time to one of the most marvellous spectacles of King Louis XIV’s reign.

Of all jazz musicians, Chet Baker was the one who influenced the minds and souls of people most. Baker’s music had a secret language of its own that communicated directly with people’s hearts. Despite the fact that Baker’s fans were devastated at the news of his passing, his music lives on in their hearts.

As a jazz trumpet player with numerous European music awards to his name, Stephane Belmondo (1994 Django Reinhardt Prize) is a devoted fan of Chet Baker who, shortly before his death in 1988, came to hear Belmondo play in Paris.

In memory of Baker, Belmondo will perform one of Baker’s albums in honour of the legendary jazz trumpeter, nearly thirty years after his death.

“Excellent harmonic imagination, diverse playing, most interesting compositions, and obvious knowledge of jazz history as well as a personal voice: Paul Lay has got everything it takes to go right to the top and make a lasting career.” Martial Solal

“Paul Lay proves to be a major young major pianist of his generation.” Jazz Magazine

Billie Holiday was one of the greatest jazz singers of the last century; great because her voice and her music were a reflection of her feelings and experiences. Hers was more than just a voice: when you listen to Billie Holiday, you hear her soul, her heart, and a scream from a troubled childhood that led to her relentless struggle against racism.

Billie Holiday was a myth, and a myth is always difficult to describe. Yet, created in honour of Holiday’s centenary in 2015, pianist Paul Lay and video-maker Olivier Garouste’s unique and vibrant tribute to one of the greatest legends of the 20th century brings Holiday’s career, music and particularly her passion back to life for the 21st century. Garouste’s video includes archive footage of Holiday.

Musical programme :
Cheek to cheek
God Bless the child
Ain’t Misbehavin
Gloomy Sunday
Don’t explain
Strange Fruit
Caravan
Créations & improvisations (Paul Lay)
Paul Lay piano
Olivier Garouste video
The performance will last for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes with no interval.

World-renowned musicians arrive directly from France for the Quartet’s Asian debut. In tribute to legendary jazz voices, all members of the quartet have a significant passion and admiration for jazz, and will perform their new album, At Work, produced by famous French jazz musician, Laurent de Wilde: a collection of pieces that subtly suggest the essence of freedom of swing within the realms of jazz.
Geraldine Laurent alto saxophone

Programme
Ligeti
Concert Românesc

Haydn
Cello Concerto No 1 in C, Hob VIIb:1

Thomas Larcher
Ouroboros for Violoncello & Chamber Orchestra (2015) (Asian première)

Commissioned by Amsterdam Sinfonietta/Muziekgebouw aan’t IJ, Swedish Chamber Orchestra,
Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra &
Hong Kong Sinfonietta

Schubert
Symphony No 4 in C minor, D417, “Tragic”