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LA FOLLE JOURNEE au JAPON. “Days of Enthusiasm” Music Festival (“LFJ”) led 130,000 people to TIF during the three-day period from April 29 to May 1, 2005, which made a great impression on the classical music industry. In 2006, LFJ will be further strengthened.
The theme in 2006 is “Mozart et se amis (Mozart and his friends).”
Rene Martin, artistic director of LFJ, spoke about 2005 LFJ and his goals for 2006 LFJ.
Photo : Hitoshi Iwakiri
“Days of Enthusiasm” contradicted the thinking of the classical music industry.
130,000 participants gathered together for LFJ 2005. The participants included 70,000 classical beginners and 17,000 children. These numbers are of great significance. It has been said that the classical music industry would no longer have new listeners. LFJ, however, contradicted the thinking of the industry.
The average age of the audience in LFJ was 35 years old. This implies that the audience included young people who had never been to a classical music concert before. In addition, many children came to LFJ and experienced the essence of classical music although children ordinarily get the cold shoulder from other audiences at the concert. All these factors demonstrate that classical music is a kind of music acceptable not only to certain elites, but also to other ordinary people, including children.
Beginners, who had never been to any classical music concert, accounted for 70% of the LFJ audience. A first-class performance is especially necessary when the audience is many beginners because a top-class performance can give them a great sensation. Rock-bottom ticket prices, keeping high quality, and providing a first class performance: these are the key success factors of “Days of Enthusiasm.”
LFJ in Tokyo was a tremendous success.
LFJ in Tokyo had such a great success, in spite of it being the first year of the festival, that it was a moving experience for me, too.
Also, the performers seem to have had a very impressive experience, touching a new audience in Tokyo. Some people say that artists can recognize what kind of people are in the audience within three minutes of the concert starting. After that, they gear their performance level in alignment with the audience’s listening ability, for the purpose of communicating most effectively with the audience. If the audience still follows the performance when the artists perform with pianissimo, then the artists will devote all their energy to the performance. If I can arrange such an audience level for them, then artists will feel like working with me again as a performer under my direction. This is true of either a big star like Argerich, or a young, unknown pianist.
Top-level Event in Mozart Year
The theme of the next LFJ is “Mozart et ses amis (Mozart and his friends).” Other cities where “Days of Enthusiasm” music festival is held - i.e., Nantes Bilbao and Lisbon - will have a different theme, “European Baroque,” in 2006, as they had already used the theme of Mozart and Haydn in 2002. The theme “Mozart et ses amis” will be a special program held only in Tokyo.
2006 is a Mozart Year in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birthday. LFJ 2006 in Tokyo will be one of the top-level events of the Mozart Year. In LFJ 2006 in Tokyo, about 200 of Mozart’s musical pieces will be performed. There will be no other place in the world where such a large number of Mozart works will be conducted in a single event.
Although Mozart was a genius, he never remained aloof from others. He was a composer who always kept a social relationship with people - his master, his friends and his successors. I would like to introduce not only Mozart’s works, but also those of his peers in LFJ 2006 in Tokyo, which will enable the audience to understand the musical environment in which Mozart lived and composed.
Mozart’s music appeals to all kinds of people - this may be greatness of his works. He loved human beings more than any other composer did. His music is affectionate, sophisticated and modest. Some works may be sad music, but they never make people cry. It is music of restrained elegance. That’s the reason why Mozart can reach all music lovers. In particular, Mozart seems to fit the Japanese personality.
LFJ will track back Mozart’s life.
How humane Mozart was. How much he loved people. This is what I would like to tell more than anything else in LFJ 2006. The audience will be able to know and touch the humanity of Mozart in this music festival.
The program will proceed biographically, tracking back to various episodes in
Mozart’s life. It is like a 20-hour feature film. The last program on the last
day consists of musical works composed in his last year, which will be a climax
of this festival. Throughout this music festival, 150,000 audience members will
become friends with Mozart.
“Days of Enthusiasm”is not just a mass production of classical music concerts. I will produce a miraculous day by the close modeling of programs, like putting a puzzle together. In doing so, I need to consider who is the best performer for this work or what is the best timing for performance of each work.
There are some fabulous operas in Mozart’s works. I am considering staging such opera works, using a unique method which even an opera maniac has never seen before.
The program will give classical beginners, enthusiasts, and even children many
discoveries. Please don't miss it.
Mozart could get fabulous ideas one after another. This is why he was called a genius. I would like to produce a festival that can embody his explosive energy.
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 What
is “Days of Enthusiasm?”
During 2005’s Golden Week, Marunouchi and its surrounding areas became “a music
island.” This is because La Folle Journee au Japon’s “Days of Enthusiasm” Music
Festival (“LFJ”) was held. LFJ is a festival born in France. It overthrows the
existing somberness of classical music concerts, and has a festive and enjoyable
mood. During the period, the number of concerts was 209, the number of performers
was 1,558, including artists from domestic to overseas, the number of tickets
sold was 116,508, and the number of visitors to LFJ was 323,687. All these numbers
are unprecedentedly large for a classical music concert.
TIF, the venue of this festival, was full of festivity. People could enjoy the
festival, feeling like having strayed into a theme park of classical music. Babies
held by their mothers, young lovers, married couples with a passion for classical
music…all of these people experienced a pleasurable time.
Quite literally, Tokyo International Forum was “Days of Enthusiasm.” In 2005,
LFJ incited the biggest sensation to the classical music industry.
“Days of Enthusiasm” is coming back in 2006 Golden Week! The theme in 2006 is
“Mozart,” in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of his birthday. Best Mozart
festival in his epoch year! LFJ 2006 will incite waves of newfound excitement.
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･The program of LFJ will be posted on a website, beginning December 16 (Sun),
2005.
･General ticket sales: from February 4 (Sat), 2006
■Please apply via website http://www.t-i-forum.co.jp/
■Contact: “A Day of Enthusiasm” Music Festival 2006 Office
TEL. 03-5221-9100 (weekdays 10:00-17:00) |
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