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The Festival of Football
02.06.98 To kick off the World Cup, PARIS will be hosting the Festival of Football on 9 June. The first-ever in the history of the World Cup, created and staged by Jean-Pascal LEVY-TRUMET, produced by Gad WEIL and William PERKINS. Jean-Pascal LECY-TRUMET came up with the idea of a show worthy of the footballing greats. He will transform PARIS into a huge playing field and festival site where streets and historical monuments will serve as the backdrop for a huge open-air theatre.
Early in the morning on Tuesday 9 June, PARIS will discover four sleeping giants, symbolising the different colours of humankind. Pablo, the Native American, will be asleep at the base of the Arc de Triomphe. Moussa, the African, will be across from the lawns of the Champ de Mars. Ho, the Asian, will be on the Pont Neuf, whereas fair-skinned Romeo will be lounging on the steps of the Opéra Garnier.
At 18 h 00, the giants will awaken and embark upon the discovery of PARIS, guided by their escorts. Each route will be an exciting adventure. The four routes will be marked by stops, where amazing shows will be put on. Upon his departure from the Arc de Triomphe, Pablo, all heart and soul, will embark upon a discovery of nature through the senses and will discover the world as a fertile and rich terrain, both seductive and varied. The more down to earth Moussa will depart from the Champs de Mars to discover civilisation and its workings through games, encounters, and initiations to new things: teamwork, confrontation, order and disorder, institutions, etc.
Ho, who will depart from the Pont-Neuf, will come face to face with spirituality and fantasy. Somewhere between legend and faith, his universe is one of dreams, poetry, the earthly and the imaginary, and his encounters will be ones of spirit, culture, history and mythology. Departing from the Opéra Garnier, Romeo will live life as art, as a performance, and as an endless celebration. He will show us a culture that has oscillated since Antiquity between urbanity and refinement, affectation and learning, but which is destined to continue its pursuit of pleasure and enjoyment, and the romantic ideals of love and companionship.
Around 21 h 30, the giants will reunite at the place de la Concorde. The Obélisque, transformed into the World Cup trophy, will be the centre stage where all of the performers will assemble.
80,000 people will attend the finale at the place de la Concorde. Due to this limited number, tickets will be mandatory and can be obtained free of charge at the reception room of the Hôtel de Ville 29, rue de Rivoli 75004 Paris (Mon-Sat 9 h 00 - 18 h 00).
