AVIGNON, FRANCE: A CHARMING ANCIENT CITY WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF ANNUAL CULTURAL FESTIVALS©

 

Avignon, located in Provençe near the Rhône river in the South of France, was once a Greek trading post and dates as far back as the 6th Century B.C.E.  In the 2nd Century B.C.E., it became part of the Roman Empire and was designated as a Roman colony by the Emperor Hadrian.  Following the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th Century C.E., Avignon became a base of Christian worship which at that time was Roman Catholic.  During the late Middle Ages, from 1378 to 1417,C.E., it was the location of "The Great (Western) Schism", when France's Roman Catholic leadership broke with Rome and established the center of is own Papal power in Avignon's Palais des Papes, i.e., Palace of the Popes.

15th Century miniature of the
Palais des Papes and city of Avignon
 

Today, evidence of Roman occupation as well as of its time as a Papal City, still exists, even though Avignon has become a charming bustling city filled with eclectic historical architecture spanning various centuries and styles, and well known for its vibrant cultural scene with festivals occurring all year round.

With so much history and cultural arts available, Avignon thoroughly enchanted me when I first visited it almost 30 years ago, and has continued to do so ever since.

Among its annual cultural festivals is Festo Pitcho in April dedicated to families and young audiences, the famous Festival d’Avignon and Festival Off in July, Tremplin Jazz d'Avignon in early August showcasing both emerging and established jazz musicians, Parcours de l’Art in October focusing on contemporary visual artists, the Festival of Comics and Comic Strips in November, the contemporary dance festival Les Hivernales during the early Winter months into the Holiday Season, and the Résonance electro music festival in heritage venues -- to name just a few.

Three of these festivals are highlighted herein below in this article.

Festival d'Avignon, held in July each year, was created in 1947 by a man named Jean Vilar, shortly after World War II.  For 17 years, between 1947-1963, the Festival reflected the work of this one man and his vision who is credited with attracting a young captivated and fresh audience through a type of live outdoor theatre encompassing dance, cinematic and musical performances that were different from what could be seen in Paris at that time. His goal was to "renew" theatre and collective forms of art by providing a more open space for their expression and enjoyment.

The result was the revitalization and decentralization of French live theatre which inspired other theatre directors around France outside of Paris in what were then considered "cultural deserts", such as Saint Etienne, Toulouse, Rennes and Strasbourg, to do the same.  The Festival d'Avignon became a meeting place for these stage pioneers and at the same time, an eagerly-anticipated annual summer cultural event in France.

Photo Credit: Cour d'Honneur du Palais des Papes, 2015

© Christophe Raynaud de Lage / Festival d'Avignon

Over the years, Festival d'Avignon has evolved in both its programming and outreach.  Since 2013, the direction of the Festival has focused on showcasing artists from all over the world, on creating a viable means of serving public cultural policy, on diversifying its audience, on perpetuating the historical legacy of Avignon, and on becoming a Festival with a unique international reputation welcoming to all.  In July of 2023, it celebrated its 76th year.

Parcours de l’Art has been supported by the city of Avignon for almost 30 years, since 1994.  The goal of this annual festival is to cultival and support contemporary art and to address all audiences. whether locally-based or from places worldwide, whether new to contemporary art or longtime contemporary art fans -- while paying particular attention to the youngest attendees.

Held in October each year, Parcours de l'Art  takes over heritage sites around Avignon in order to present contemporary art works in different forms: paintings, drawings, sculpture, photographs, videos, installations, performances, and the like.  Free access, freedom of movement, and tailor-made mediation encourage dialogue between artists and the public, making the event accessible to everyone.  In 2022, the four heritage sites used were the Célestins church, the Cloître Saint-Louis, the Cordeliers chapel and the Maison Jean Vilar.

Maison Jean Vilar
Avignon heritage site for 2022 Parcours de l'Art
Photo credit: Christophe Raynaud de Lage

Parcours de l'Art creates excitement around current art in the heart of the city through exhibitions but also by offering complementary activities: children's workshops, conferences and debates, readings and film/video screenings. 

The theme of the 29th annual presentation of Parcours de l'Art is  "Ricochets", being held October 6-22, 2023.  Avignon's heritage sites are the showcases for contemporary works selected around the theme of water.  At a time when water is becoming a rare and precious resource on Earth, it has come to be a subject that is timely, relevant, "political and poetic, powerful, inspiring, [and] universal".  Therefore, Parcours de L'Art's artistic journey in 2023 is built on the Avignon water cartography.

Additionally, for the first time since its inception, Parcours de l'Art  is organizing an artist residency in 2023. The original frescoes from this first residency will be placed on the walls of the city of Avignon as this festival prepares for its 30th year in 2024.

Tremplin Jazz d'Avignon, held in annually in August, is a jazz festival featuring young artists. Over the course of an entire week, each evening is devoted to well-known jazz musicians and bands from all around Europe.  The location is the Carmes Cloister which provides a setting within stone walls that is conducive to enjoying jazz.

Created 31 years ago in 1992 by a few jazz enthusiasts, the Tremplin Jazz d'Avignon Association, aimed to promote jazz music and support young musicians as part of an annual competition.  Thereafter, from year to year, concerts have been organized around this mission.

Over the years Templin Jazz organizers have remained faithful to its objectives: to encourage mixing cultures through the discovery of jazz music, to offer a programming mix of free concerts where the young, European jazz scene competes in talent, and to provide outstanding concerts which present established artists -- all covering a range of jazz styles and spanning the generations.

The venue for Tremplin Jazz d'Avignon is Cloître des Carmes, more commonly called Carmes Cloister, a former monastery consisting of a cluster of buildings which were constructed commencing in 1267 C.E. when the religious Order of the Carmelites came to Avignon.  This was approximately 125 years prior to the Great (Western) Schism, and a time when many monasteries were being built in the city.  Avignon had become the official residence of the Catholic Popes and the Catholic Church headquarters within the Palais des Papes, both of which had recently moved from Rome to Avignon.

Interior courtyeard of Carmes Cloister
Photo credit: Christophe Raynaud de Lage
 

The Convent itself is outside the first city wall, between the gate of Matheron and the gate of Nurses.  The Senate is in the northern part of the Church structure which is in the Romanesque and Gothic architectural style popular in the 13th Century.

Not only is Carmes Cloister the venue for Tremplin Jazz each year in August, but also it was the first site in Avignon in 1967 to become a theatre and dance venue during the Festival d'Avignon discussed herein above. The acoustics within the Medieval stone walls are particularly favourable for live performances, and an open-air stage which extends under the arcades can accommodate approximately 500 spectators.

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(Primary sources and additional photo credits:  parcoursdelart.com;  Avignon Tourisme;  festival.avignon.com;  templinjazzavignon.fr;  laprovence.com;  minube.net)

©2023 Snobby Tours®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BROOKLYN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM: THE WORLD'S FIRST CHILDREN'S MUSEUM©

 

Inspired by the energy and multi-cultural diversity existing in the New York borough of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM) is known for creating experiences that ignite curiosity, celebrate identity and cultivate joyful learning.

The Museum was founded following a proposal from the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences (now the Brooklyn Museum) on December 16, 1899, in the Adams House.   It  initially operated under the direction of the Brooklyn Institute and received approximately $70,000 in funds from New York City each year to supplement the donations it received.  It is the first Children's Museum in the USA, and is believed also to be the first Children's Museum in the world.

In 1975, the BCM moved to an award-winning new space, housed underneath Brower Park in Crown Heights, Brooklyn,at St Mark's and Brooklyn Avenues, following the demolition of the Victorian-era houses that had served as its prior home.   This location is considered unusual because it is in a predominantly residential area.  Housed in a multi-level underground gallery following the 1975 move, the underground gallery has provided the ideal venue for arranging evolving exhibits.

In 1996, the Museum was once again renovated and expanded at a cost of $7-million to include miniature amphitheaters and a number of new galleries.

Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM) is New York City’s largest cultural institution designed especially for families.  It serves 300,000 children and their parents/caregivers annually by providing them with unique and engaging exhibits and educational programs grounded in visual arts, music and performance, natural science, and world. cultures.

 

The Museum's Collection and exhibitions reflect its long history as well as the changes in children's educational needs over time and the changing environment.  Its original focus was the presentation of natural science to children raised in an urban environment, but following World War II, technology and cultural awareness became more important.  Children regularly contribute extensively in the planning of museum exhibits, and have done so for a significant part of its history.

In keeping with its original underlying philosophy, BCM seeks to foster a culture of inclusion that promotes mutual respect, celebrates diversity, and facilitates intercultural exploration and collaboration.  The exhibits and programs of the Brooklyn Children's Museum are rooted in the following:

• Interdisciplinary and inquiry-based learning grounded in BCM's extensive Collection which encourages children to explore their world from multiple perspectives.
• Sensory learning through hands-on, immersive interactive experiences.
• Development of an appreciation of culture and community, with a focus on "socio-emotional learning" and interpersonal relationships.
• Substantive engagement of parent-child dialogues and ongoing availability of family resources.
• The encouragement of children to think of themselves as active participants in effecting community change who can  inspire responsible and civic engagement.

In all of its work and business practice, BCM commits to its Brooklyn community by:

• Serving all families regardless of their ability to pay.
• Building community for parents and children.
• Reaching beyond its physical site into schools and other neighborhoods.
• Using local vendors and supporting small businesses.
• Employing Brooklyn residents and supporting their families by paying 100% of the health premiums for staff, their spouses and dependents.
• Providing space for, and sharing resources with, other Brooklyn-based and community-based organizations.

In 2005, BCM was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20-million grant from the Carnegie Foundation which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.

In the same year, work began on the $43-million expansion that would ultimately nearly double the size of the museum, and handle more than 400,000 visitors each year.   As part of its commitment to environmental integrity and energy efficiency, the institution has taken credit for being the first New York City museum to use geothermal wells for heating and cooling purposes.  After the BCM underwent this expansion and renovation to double its space, upon its reopening on September 20, 2008, the BCM became the first "green museum" in New York City.

 

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(Primary Sources and Photo Credits: brooklynkids.org; Simon Watson (September 2001). "Heart of Brooklyn", Gotham Gazette; Media related to Brooklyn Children's Museum at Wikimedia Commons; Miscellaneous archival articles published between 1905-2008 by The New York Times)

© 2023 Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

CELEBRATING THE FABULOUS PASADENA PLAYHOUSE©

 

Last evening, it was announced at the 2023 Tony Awards that the Pasadena Playhouse, one of my all-time favourite regional theatres literally for decades, has received the coveted 2023 Regional Theatre Tony Award -- a great honour which is also accompanied by a generous $25,000 grant.    

Back on July 31, 2021, I published an extensive Blog article herein about the history and current story of this much loved, venerable "grand dame" in the theatre world.

Founded in 1917 and located in what was then a very upscale yet still somewhat bucolic Pasadena, California, the Pasadena Playhouse is a survivor, and has not only become a "local treasure" with world-wide recognition, but also has been designated as the Official State Theatre of California. https://snobbytours.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-much-loved-pasadena-playhouse.html

We salute the Pasadena Playhouse as it embarks upon its 2023-2024 Season and continues its mission of excellence in the live theatre performing arts.  https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/

©2023 Snobby Tours®, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

BALBOA PARK: THE BACKSTORY OF SAN DIEGO'S ENCHANTING, ECLECTIC HISTORIC CULTURAL ARTS VENUE©

 

When I first visited Balboa Park in San Diego, California one Summer evening several years ago to attend a performance of a Shakespeare play at its Old Globe Theatre, I was totally captivated as I entered the Park, driving over a bridge dotted with vintage street lamps flickering in the early evening. 

It was magical and exceptionally beautiful -- memories which have lasted to this day.

Balboa Park is an integral part of the history of San Diego.  What started out as barren land only a decade after California achieved Statehood in 1850, and following the end of the American Civil War in 1865, was developed by the town's civic leaders in 1868 into what gradually became the exceptionally beautiful cultural arts location and wonder of design that it is today, 155 years later. 

Vintage Photo of Balboa Park
circa 1915

The development of Balboa Park is particularly remarkable when one considers what the town of San Diego was like in 1868, and its prior history.  

What became San Diego Bay was first discovered by the explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542 who claimed the area for the Spanish Empire.  This became the basis for the later settlement of "Alta California", some 200 years later.  In 1769 the Mission San Diego de Alcala and the Presidio were founded, becoming the first European settlement in what now is California. 

Vintage Photo of Mission San Diego de Alcalá

In 1821, after a conflict between Spain and Mexico, San Diego became part of the Mexican Empire, and in 1823 it was re-formed as the First Mexican Republic. Following the Mexican-American War in 1848, California became a U.S. territory, and Statehood followed in 1850. During the American Civil War from 1861-1865, California sided with the Union, sending troops into the conflict and being the site of a couple of skirmishes even though it was geographically remote.

It is, therefore, rather remarkable, that only 3 years after the Civil War, San Diego's civic leaders had the foresight to develop barren land into a city park -- particularly since the population in 1868 was around 2,000 people -- AND San Diego was considered at the time to be a "backwater town".

Downtown San Diego, 1887
Photo taken by Herve Friend for 
Douglas Gunn's book "Picturesque San Diego"

The San Diego Tourism Authority published earlier this year a well-researched, extensive blog article about the history of Balboa Park entitled "Balboa Park, History of San Diego's Magnificent Cultural Center"  which is well worth reading and is set forth herein below.

            "Balboa Park is central to the story of San Diego. In 1868, civic leaders took the audacious step of setting aside 1,400 acres of a scrub-filled mesa, an area that now overlooks what is downtown San Diego. While San Diego was home to just 2,300 residents back then, its leaders had the vision and desire to create an iconic park that would serve its citizens and its visitors for years to come. In fact, San Diego was the second city to dedicate a large urban park behind only New York City’s Central Park. In 1870, the state legislature passed a law stating that the lands would be held in trust for a park forever.

            "For many years, there was little development of "City Park" as it was then known. A high school, which later became San Diego High School, was built and several gardens were created by various private groups. Then in 1892, local horticulturist and botanist Kate Sessions leased 36 acres for a nursery. In exchange for using the land, she agreed that the nursery would be open to the public and that she would donate hundreds of trees and plants to the city every year for its beautification. Sessions, who would become known as "the mother of Balboa Park," is credited with bringing in many of the different varieties of native and exotic plants to the park, and many of her original trees are alive and visible today.

Vintage Photo of Palm Trees
planted in Balboa Park

            "In 1910, with preparations already underway to hold an expo to coincide with the opening of the Panama Canal, the park was named for the Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the first European to cross Central America and see the Pacific Ocean. Several of the buildings as well as much of the present-day look and feel of the park can be attributed to the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. Built in the Spanish Colonial-revival style, the park’s highly ornamental style was the first of its kind in the United States. Scheduled to last only one year, the 1915 Expo was extended for a second year, and more than 3.7 million visitors came to the expo during its run.

Aerial Photo of 1915 Panama California Exposition
in Balboa Park

            "Twenty years later, San Diego hosted the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition to boost the local economy during the Great Depression. Additional structures and landscaping were added to the park, including the Old Globe Theatre, International Cottages, and Spanish Village, all of which are still in use today.

Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park
circa 1937

            "In 1977, Balboa Park, and historic Exposition buildings from 1915 and 1935, were declared a National Historic Landmark and National Historic Landmark District, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places."

Today, visitors from all over the world  enjoy Balboa Park, not only for its various annual visual and performing arts events and the exhibitions at its various museums, but also for its spectacularly beautiful architecture.  Recognized by the State of California as one of its 14 "cultural districts", Balboa Park continues in the 21st Century to serve its community as the epicenter for the arts and culture in San Diego.

Museum of Natural History
in Balboa Park
Photo credit:  Mark Osterbloom

San Diego Museum of Art
in Balboa Park

Museum of Man
in Balboa Park
Photo credit:  Bernard Gagnon

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(Primary Sources and Photo Credits:  San Diego Tourism Authority Blog Article, "Balboa Park, History of San Diego's Magnificent Cultural Center" ©2023;  sandiego.org;  theoldglobe.org;  sandiego.gov; missionsandiego.org) 

© 2023 Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

UPDATE: THE RACE AND THE CHALLENGES TO REBUILD NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL©

 

In our December 2021 Blog article, we last visited the status of the ongoing reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris following the devastating and destructive fire in April of 2019.

The WGBS Educational Foundation aired on the Public Televsion series "NOVA"  a comprehensive video update in December of 2022 on the reconstruction as it races towards completion in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.  

That video is described as follows:

"Following the April, 2019 fire that almost destroyed Paris’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, a team of engineers, masons, and timber workers set out on the daunting challenge of restoring France’s historic landmark. The program traces the dramatic human and technical challenges of the project’s first three years, going behind-the-scenes with carpenters shaping lumber for the new roof and spire, stone masons repairing gaping holes in the vault, and artisans who use traditional techniques to restore stained glass windows. A symbol of the nation’s identity and resilience, Notre Dame gradually rises from the ashes, thanks to a restoration project like no other." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:10 The Aftermath of the Fire of Notre Dame 05:25 Current Efforts to Rebuild Notre Dame 07:13 Rebuilding the Roof of Notre Dame 14:12 Recreating Notre Dame’s Spire 19:40 The Use of Iron in the Structure of Notre Dame 26:00 Studying Notre Dame’s Stained Glass Windows 33:47 Hazards of Restoring the Burnt Cathedral 36:20 Cleaning the Limestone Vaulting 41:41 Carpentry Practices for Roof Restoration 45:06 Historic Changes to Stained Glass Window 49:47 Racing to Complete Notre Dame Before 2024 © 2022 WGBH Educational Foundation

The link to the above referenced video, which copyrighted by WGBS Educational Foundation, is provided herein solely for educational and informational purposes:   https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/rebuilding-notre-dame/

(Primary Sources and Photo credits:  WGBS Educational Foundation;                       https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/rebuilding-notre-dame/;  Wandrille de Préville, Wikimedia Commons)

© 2023 Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

THE KENNEDY CENTER IN WASHINGTON, D.C. CELEBRATES ITS 50th YEAR, ALBEIT BELATEDLY© - Part 1 of a 2-part Blog article

 

2021 marked the 50th year of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., but the celebration was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID pandemic.

Initially, the idea for a "national cultural center" dates back to 1933 when First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt discussed ideas for the Emergency Relief and Civil Works Administration to create employment for unemployed actors during the Great Depression.  Congress held hearings in 1935 on plans to establish a Cabinet level Department of Science, Art and Literature, and to build a monumental theater and arts building on Capitol Hill near the Supreme Court building, but nothing materialized for more than 15 years thereafter.

Finally, in 1950, the idea for a national theater resurfaced when US Congressman Arthur Lewis Klein of New York introduced a bill to authorize funds to plan and build a cultural center. The bill included provisions that the center would prohibit any discrimination of cast or audience.

In 1955, the Stanford Research Institute was commissioned to select a site and to provide design suggestions for the center.   Between 1955 to 1958, Congress debated the idea amid much controversy, particularly about the location;  however, ultimately a bill was finally passed in Congress in the summer of 1958, and on September 4,  1958 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the National Cultural Center Act which provided momentum for the project -- marking the first time in history that the US Federal Government assisted in financing a structure dedicated to the performing arts.

From that point in time, the process moved forward.  The first step in the creation of the Kennedy Center was its authorization by the 1958 National Cultural Center Act of Congress, which requires that its programming be sustained through private funds.  Consequently, the Center's financial support has, and continues to, come  from partnerships with both the public and private sectors.

On December 2, 1964, President Lyndon Baines Johnson initiated the groundbreaking ceremony of the new National Cultural Center, which had been renamed for President John F. Kennedy, a strong advocate for the arts prior to his assassination in November of 1963. 

The building was designed by architect Edward Durell Stone.  The preliminary l architectural concept was curved, but was ultimately not used.  The building immediately drew criticism about its location along the Potomac River, and also for cosmetic reasons.  Conversely, at the time time, the Kennedy Center drew high praise for its acoustics, which were designed along with the auditoriums, by Cyrus M. Harris.  A major concern affecting the interior design and acoustics is that a significant number of aircraft fly along the Potomac River and over the Kennedy Center, as they take off and land at the nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and also helicopter traffic overhead.  To address and eliminate the noise factor, the Center was designed as a box within a box, which has given each auditorium an extra insulating outer shell.

The total cost of construction was $70 million. Congress allocated $43 million for construction costs, including $23 million as an outright grant and the other $20 million in bonds.   Donations also comprised a significant portion of funding, including $5 million from the Ford Foundation, and approximately $500,000 from the Kennedy family.  Other major donors included J. Willard Marriott, Marjorie Merriweather Post, and John D. Rockefeller III, as well as many corporate donors. Foreign countries also provided gifts to the Kennedy Center, including a gift from the Italian government of 3,700 tons of Carrara marble from Italy worth $1.5 million in 1971, (the equivalent of $10,5 million in 2022), was used in the construction of the building.

The first performance was September 5, 1971, with 2,200 members of the general public in attendance to see a premiere of Leinard Bernstein's "Mass in the Opera House" in the Opera House".  

The Center's official opening took place on the date of its dedication, September 8, 1971, with a formal gala and a performance of the Bernstein "Mass", attended by Rose Kennedy, Senator Edward Kennedy, and other members of the Kennedy family.

In 2013, after the Kennedy Center required expansion, a competition was held, at which time architect Steven Holl was selected to design the project called "The REACH", which project commenced thereafter. over the next six years

in 2019, the campus of the Kennedy Performing Arts Center grew 4.6 acres with the opening of its new REACH area on September 7th.   REACH is the Center’s first expansion since premiering in 1971.  Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the $250- million project roughly doubled the Kennedy Center’s outdoor space, bolstered its public areas by 20%, and added 72,000 square feet of interior space across the three pavilions near the Potomac River.   For more information about REACH, read  Part 2 of this Travelblog article, published in January, 2023.

Today, the Kennedy Center consists of several performing arts venues, ranging in size and utilized for specific purposes.  There are three main theatres -- the Concert Hall, the Opera House and the Eisenhower Theatre -- which allow for seating ranging from approximately 1,100 to 2,500 attendees.  Additionally, there are five smaller venues each seating less than 500 attendees, which have been adapted for use by artists-in-residence and for video screenings, ongoing performances, educational programs, and the Kennedy Center Jazz Club.

CBS Sunday Morning extended belated birthday wishes in a segment which aired on Christmas morning, December 25, 2022.  

The tribute in that segment says it all, and serves as the focus of our December 2022 Blog article herein.  

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Primary Sources:  Meersman, Roger (1980). "The Kennedy Center: From Dream to Reality". Records of the Columbia Historical Society;  dc.curbed.com;  kennedy-center.org)

© 2022 Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.