This day is a major step in the cultural life of the agglomeration of
Perpignan and the Languedoc-Roussillon Region. The inauguration of a
artistic and cultural establishment is always a defining moment for
a community, and I am especially pleased to share this moment
with you.
The theatre of the Archipelago: this name evokes the diversity, the wealth, the
complexity. This new cultural establishment will be a major
reflection around the Mediterranean and Iberian cultures; it will allow
particularly a fruitful cultural rapprochement with Catalonia.
Recall that in a few years, Barcelona will be only 50
minutes from Perpignan with the future TGV line. We can only be
the global ambition of the project, which is at the heart of the
agglomeration territory.
The theatre of the Archipelago offers a high artistic and cultural project
level, with a European, national and regional dimension
Catalan and Iberian culture, in a cross-border dynamic. I
I am already very struck by the number of partners who have
associated with theatre programming: the main institutions
the Teatro Stabile in Naples, or the
festivals in Athens, Istanbul, Rabat, to name but a few
examples. The 2011-2012 season allows us to
the ambition that is emerging.
The Archipelago Theatre is also a major architectural project for the
France and for Europe. The work of Jean Nouvel and his teams, a
once more, arouses our admiration, both by the aesthetic quality
of its realization only by its functional relevance, in view of the project
artistic and cultural aspects of the establishment, its urban context and the
taking into account our commitments in terms of accessibility and
sustainable development; with its brick and gold tones, and this evocation of
the matter and color of the garnet to which Jean Nouvel was so
and reflects the visual and cultural identity of the Roussillon and
of the Têt valley.
Two rooms will operate permanently, the Grenat, the large room
for up to 1,100 spectators, and the Carré, a modular
400 seats; to these two main rooms are added the Studio, place of
work for the artistic teams and the decor workshop. I want to make
tribute to Jean Nouvel for his contribution to the influence of our
national architecture, once again confirmed by the success that is
the theatre of the Archipelago.
It is a large-scale urban project: the theatre of the Archipelago
will be the flagship equipment of the city entrance. It will be a lung
cultural activities in the heart of the city, which it will irrigate
all the neighbourhoods, in a desire for economic development
and social aspects of the territory through culture; a large-scale equipment
in the national landscape, like the major European cities
to identify with their cultural policies.
Finally, we must say a few words about the innovative assembly for the
construction of the establishment: it is indeed the first partnership
in France, for a major cultural project. The realization of the
theatre de l'Archipel was based on a group bringing together
Crédit Agricole and more particularly its subsidiary Auxifip for the
financing, Cofely EDF Suez for maintenance and maintenance, and
Fondeville, a local SME for building construction.
The theatre of the Archipelago will complete the structuring of the offer in the region
Languedoc-Roussillon, and will balance the cultural development of
Southwest, at a crossroads between Montpellier, Toulouse and Barcelona.
For all these reasons, I wished that the Ministry of Culture
and Communication be partner of this project, both for
the significant investment it represents only for its operation.
I wanted this establishment to be labeled «national scene», for
integrate a network of 70 structures throughout the territory,
with in particular in Languedoc-Roussillon the national scenes of Alès,
of Narbonne and Sète.
Finally, I would like to greet the director of the Archipelago Theatre, Domènec
Reixach, former director of the Catalan National Theatre in Barcelona,
whose remarkable artistic career as a director is well known,
for the promotion of the Catalan language in theatre.
His appointment as general director of the theatre of the Archipel, after
to have followed its prefiguration, symbolizes the vocation
for a multilingual project open to Europe
and the Euro-Mediterranean area. Seeing with you the
«Garnet», I am once again comforted in a conviction: that he
the Euro-Mediterranean area or the consolidation of projects
of euro-regions, culture clearly has a key role to play. It is
it often allows, beyond the only opportunities
economic, to chart the course, to create the links of belonging
the work of Daniel Tosi, which will be interpreted in
opening concert by the Orchestra and the Collegium vocal Perpignan
Mediterranean.
Thank you.