Over the past year, the Forbidden City has been filled with Jean-Michel Jarre's electronic music, the National Art Museum of China crowded with fans of the French Impressionist paintings and Shanghai's television tower Oriental Pearl awash in lights of red, white and blue, the colors of the French flag.

These are highlights of the Year of France in China, the largest cultural event hosted by the Chinese Government to celebrate the vibrant French culture. Launched last October, the year-long event follows the Year of China launched in France between October 2003 and July 2004.

In the past year, "France" has impressed the Chinese people with not just her classic and cutting-edge art and fashions but also her science and technology.

French President Jacques Chirac, one of the supporters of the cultural exchange, summarized it aptly in his letter to the Chinese Ministry of Culture: "The hundreds of events launched in China have proved the close bilateral relationship established based on a spirit of dialogue and sharing"

Chinese officials have echoed similar sentiments.

"The Year of France has brought Chinese people both French cultural heritage and contemporary innovative works," said Pu Tong, vice-director of the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture.

Exciting finale

The curtain falls down on the year-long event in the same grand manner as its opening. The renowned Ballet Company of Opera de Paris, Sophie Marceau, fashion designer Christian Lacroix and haute couture house Lavin are among those who will present this wonderful finale for a golden September.

Chinese theatre-goers have been looking forward to the return of the Ballet Company of Opera de Paris, after being enchanted with its classic repertoire "Giselle" at the Great Hall of the People in 1998.

This time, the company is offering a triple treat of Roland Petit's "L'Arlesienne," Serge Lifar's "Suite en Blanc" and Maurice Bejart's "Bolero."

These are masterpieces that only a company like Opera de Paris can stage. Its ballerinas have both excellent technique and a fine sense of art to render a perfect interpretation. The company will present its shows at the Beijing Exhibition Hall Theatre on September 16 and 17.

Then, it will premiere in Shanghai with "Giselle" as well as its triple-offering at the Grand Theatre on September 22 to 25.

"Now it is the last party to share the friendship Ballet Company of Opera de Paris is the last bouquet we present to China. Because of the company's high reputation of its artistic style and professionalism in the world as well as its long history and powerful artistic vitality, it is the ideal representative to bring down the curtain of Year of France," Chirac wrote in his letter.

Beijing residents can also experience a slice of France at the Summer Palace on September 17 and the Great Wall on September 17 and 18.

On January 22, 2004, some 7,500 Chinese people participated in an unprecedented Chinese New Year's parade on the Champs-Elysees.

Now Gad Weil, the organizer of the Chinese parade, will continue his project "From Champs-Elysees to the Great Wall."

Hundreds of French cooks, folk artists and craftsmen will join a French picnic at the Badaling section of the Great Wall with folk performances at the big parking lots at the foot of the Wall.

On the evening of September 17, eve of the Chinese traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, some 2,000 guests from the two countries will be invited to the Summer Palace to enjoy the moonlight, water show and folk performances including a Kunqu Opera, a puppet show and lion dances.

Continuing the French movie series "From Classic to Contemporary" in March, the China Film Archive will screen three Sophie Marceau's films on September 16 and 17.

The three movies are "L'Aube a l'envers," "Parlez-moi d'amour" and "A ce soir." Marceau will meet fans personally on September 16.

Art showcase

In addition, nearly 20 French exhibitions will continue to be held in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Chengdu in September.

In Beijing, the highlights include 400 pieces of engravings from the Louvre Museum, oil paintings of Napoleon from the Palace of Versailles and photographs of "Exposition Paris" collected by Pompidou. These will be exhibited at China's National Museum of Art while photographer Jean-Paul Lubliner's "Tour Eiffel 2000" will be shown at the Millennium Museum.

Before moving to Beijing, some of Lubliner's photos of Eiffel were shown at the foot of the Shanghai television tower in April. But this time, Beijing's residents can see 80 pieces of 4-metre-high and 3-metre-wide pictures till September 18.

Why the focus on the Eiffel Tower? The photographer was intrigued by the luminous electronic clock on the second floor of Eiffel, which told Parisians how close they were to the year 2000.

So beginning January 1, 1999, he took one photograph there every day till 2000 to capture the last year of the 20th century on film.

"The year-long event is going to end. However, the friendship between people of both countries and the desire to know each other will last for ever," Pu Tong said. "These last activities are to close Year of France but also to start a new and better future between both countries."

(China Daily September 14, 2005)