Lafayette Bicentennial Tour by Orchestre National Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Combining music, light and images was an obvious choice for this extraordinary project, which aims to pay tribute to Lafayette and his courage. We want to offer the public a truly immersive 1h30 show! This is an experience that you won’t forget! With the help of organizations in the USA and France who will provide the iconographic materials surrounding Lafayette's life, this project will give viewers a unique vision of Lafayette, his history, but also of his homeland of Auvergne and its beautiful Orchestra! This program is part of our Bicentennial celebration of the Marquis de Lafayette's farewell tour.

Conductor and violinist: Thomas Zehetmair

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 - world premiere

L. V BEETHOVEN, Great Fugue in B-flat major Opus 133

Format: This original and immersive show combines 3 elements all working simultaneously to provide a once in a lifetime event around the Marquis de Lafayette and his incredible story.

The Narrator

A real life Lafayette performer, dressed as the Marquis, will narrate Lafayette’s story in the first person to share with the audience his lifestory – from his beginnings in France, to his fight for American Independence and finally his triumphant return to the US in 1824-1825 as an official invitation of thanks from the Nation.

The Projection

A new-tech generated recreated video projection of certain key moments of Lafayette’s life and journey using images & archives from different Lafayette dedicated organisations in France and the US will immerse the audience in a new generation experience. The projection’s iconography will be put together by a specilized professional French studio.

The Concert

The musical program will reflect Lafayette’s life timeperiod with exclusively selected French & American compositions from the XVIIIth & XIXth centuries as well as an original piece written by the conductor Thomas Zehetmair.

The Orchestra

From quartet to orchestra, the global string ensemble continues to project the charm of its region beyond international borders, while innovating within the Clermont-Ferrand metropolis and its Auvergne streets through a multitude of musical formats adapted to all audiences, from child concerts to musical cafés, including recitals in retirement homes and local residencies: a diversified approach recognized by the Ministry of Culture in 2019, which awarded the ensemble the prestigious title of « Orchestre national en région » (National Regional Orchestra).

Testifying to the great diversity of its repertoire, the Orchestra has recorded 60 albums to date, exploring a multitude of musical styles, from Baroque masterpieces to contemporary creations. The ensemble is also the first French orchestra to have created its own 100% free digital label, OnA Live, which has already been broadcast over 400,000 times in almost 90 countries. Since its creation in 1981, the Orchestre National Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has always strived to reach a wide audience, both regionally and internationally. Nestled in the heart of the Massif Central, the ensemble is acclaimed by lovers of French orchestral music for its unique sound, strength and quest for absolute perfection. Originally formed under the direction of Jean-Jacques Kantorow, the orchestra's signature sound has been gradually shaped by the invaluable contributions of past and present musical directors, and is now recognized the world over.

Host or Publisher Resources USA