speaking notes for ms. christine st

SPEAKING NOTES
FOR MS. CHRISTINE ST-PIERRE
MINISTER OF CULTURE,
COMMUNICATIONS
AND THE STATUS OF WOMEN
FOR A RECEPTION FOLLOWING THE LONDON PREMIERE
OF THE SHOW TRACES
BY LES 7 DOIGTS DE LA MAIN
London, February 3, 2009
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Mr. Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Sadler’s Wells
Theatre (Alistair Spalding),
Mr. Delegate General (Pierre Boulanger),
Ladies and Gentlemen of Arts Council England,
Distinguished Guests,
ƒ Je suis ravie et honorée d’être parmi vous aujourd’hui dans ce
magnifique théâtre. Quel bonheur d’avoir pu assister à la
première londonienne de l’éblouissant spectacle TRACES de
la compagnie québécoise Les 7 doigts de la main!
ƒ Our creators and their works are promoted around the globe
and help paint an image of Québec as a society that fosters
bold originality, excellence, and the expression of differences.
ƒ But foreign partners determined to host these Québec
productions still need to be found!
ƒ Sadler’s Wells is a major partner that has done much in the
past to promote Québec productions and I am very grateful to
you. I appreciate your openness, curiosity, and determination
to make Québec shows available to London audiences,
particularly this one by Les 7 doigts de la main.
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ƒ I also know that you are coproducing the brand new show by
Québec creator Robert Lepage called EONNAGATA, which
will be presented here in the spring. Robert Lepage is indeed
a beacon of Québec culture whose international reputation
speaks for itself. It does you great credit to present one of his
many creations.
ƒ Presenting TRACES at the Peacock Theatre is a golden
opportunity for Les 7 doigts de la main, and who knows—it
will perhaps open the door for other Québec works.
ƒ Permettez-moi maintenant de rendre hommage à la troupe des
7 doigts de la main et aux cinq jeunes artistes qui se sont
produits devant nous ce soir. Je tiens à les féliciter pour
l’incomparable succès du spectacle TRACES.
ƒ La troupe a connu un même succès au Festival d’Édimbourg
en 2007 et, plus récemment, au Festival de Brighton en 2008.
Elle a triomphé lors de sa tournée française en décembre
dernier, jouant à guichets fermés presque tous les soirs et
faisant de cette venue en France le plus grand succès
international de l’histoire des 7 doigts de la main.
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ƒ This show, acclaimed around the world since it was created in
2006, is an eloquent example of the success Québec artists
achieve abroad.
ƒ Québec possesses an extraordinary vitality in circus arts.
Since its inception in the 1980s, this discipline has enjoyed a
truly meteoric rise.
ƒ Think of world-renowned Cirque du Soleil, which performs at
Royal Albert Hall every year. Think of the National Circus
School in Montréal, which has trained hundreds of circus
performers in its 25 years.
ƒ Think also of Cirque Éloize or the creation of Cité des arts du
cirque in Montréal, one of the world’s largest gathering places
for circus arts training, creation, production, and performance
that has welcomed nearly half a million spectators since it
opened.
ƒ Québec circuses have truly entered a stage of maturity, with
artists garnering awards and distinctions, shows being hosted
both locally and internationally, and the popularity of circus
careers growing among youth.
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ƒ Over the years Montréal has become a hub for circus arts, and
the Québec government provides major support for this
discipline through various measures, notably its touring
grants.
ƒ I sincerely hope that the agreement signed last fall between
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and Arts Council
England generates more discussion in many disciplines.
ƒ I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all the
promoters and guests here tonight, who have a deep love for
culture and, I am certain, are committed to the development
of the performing arts.
ƒ There is a reason why our creators and their works attract
international attention. I therefore invite you all to come to
Québec to discover or rediscover the bold originality and
excellence of our artists.
ƒ I hope with all my heart that the show we saw tonight will
inspire you to see other Québec circus shows, an area where
our creativity has become a benchmark for the world.
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ƒ If you are interested, the Québec Government Office in
London could of course assist you in planning your visit to
Québec.
ƒ Increasing promotion on the international market has become
an inescapable reality for creators and a necessity for
supporting artistic development. I thank you for helping
promote Les 7 doigts de la main in Great Britain.
ƒ I would also like to mention that the Québec government will
be setting up a creative studio in London for Québec artists
and writers living here.
ƒ In doing so, we wish to help our creators spend their time in
your vibrant city recharging their batteries, establishing ties,
and building a successful professional network among
English cultural and arts alliances. We also want these men
and women to use their talent to promote Québec culture in
the United Kingdom.
ƒ Je voudrais profiter de l’occasion pour souligner le travail du
personnel en poste à la Délégation générale du Québec à
Londres qui ne ménage pas ses efforts pour établir des
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partenariats avec les gens d’affaires, les établissements
d’enseignement, les artistes et les organisations culturelles au
Royaume-Uni. Merci à vous !
ƒ In closing, I wish the company Les 7 doigts de la main the
best of luck for all its performances here in London.
ƒ Thank you.
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