Cultural Charm of France
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Cultural Charm of France
  • Park Kim Haena
  • 승인 2010.03.10 18:35
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During winter vacation, '2009' Sookmyung Global Explore Project was run.  This year students that made groups according to their majors participated in this project.  The Sookmyug Times  (SMT) accompanied 3 teams, the Division of French language and culture- France, Division of Law- U.S.A., and the Division of Culture and Tourism- Egypt. SMT will be reporting about global explore project for six times. 

This France report is going to two sections; this month, I will explain and talk about what the global explore team did and what the official plan was, and next month, I will make up more individual story relating to my feeling about Paris and what I did in my free time.  Let's go now to winter in France! 

The team included Professor Siyeun Moon, 7 members and 2 reporters.  The subject of the project was 'Posture of Preparing a Dream Society.'  We had a plan to investigate about culture policies and facilities and prepared interviews with authorities and agencies.  On January 24th we boarded an airplane to Paris.  Seven days journey into France had just started, at last.

 

Bonjour, Paris!

 
Jan. 24th, 7PM, we arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris after a twelve-hour flight.  We took an airport bus and got off Arc de Triomphe station and we walked to Citadin, our residence hotel where we can see the Eiffel Tower from our at the room.  My first feeling about Paris night was silence and very dark.  In contrast with Asian cities like Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing and Singapore, Paris has its own special atmosphere.  It has old world buildings, so there was an antique mood.

 

Opera Comique

 

 
The first official schedule was visiting Opera-Comique (Theatre national de l'Opera-
Comique
).  The building was so huge and majestic, so just looking outside I felt the dignity in this opera building.  We entered the office and then according to the guidance, stepped into the theater.  As soon as we entered, my eyes were fixed on the fanciful gold ornaments and luxurious red seats.     The stage and all of the seats were empty but in my eyes, there were women and men wearing gorgeous costumes, and in a special space on the second floor very close to the stage, a noblewoman was sitting and watching opera through opera glasses opera gracefully.  We could hear the history of opera comique from the director.  The historic start of Opera Comique was 1714.  The theater which make specialty of comic opera was needed.  Also, pure France comic opera theater was necessary against the Italian opera so 1762 Burgundy theater was opened and then Salle Favart was also opened in 1783.  The Nineteenth Century was the glory day of the Opera Comique.  Verdi's Aida, La Boheme by Puccini, and Bizet's Carmen had their premieres in this space.  After the director's explanation, we looked around the interior, watched the preparation for the next opera, and had a chance to go into the actors'l room.  The diverse systems that help actors to appear in front of the audience, under or over the stage were complicated and amazing.  How did they make these elaborate structures 300 years ago?  I thought this country has really deep history related to the culture.

 

Chateau de Versailles

 

 
For two days,  the sky was gray, but on the third day, the weather was clear and nice, and we decided to visit the Versailles Palace.  This palace which has absolute power's grandiosity is a little way from Paris, so most travelers use R.E.R or train.  However, we selected a wiser way, buying Carnet; bus tickets.  First, we took the 9 lines and got off the Pont de Sevres, and then station at again took the bus 171.  Contrary to taking subway, riding a bus is more interesting because I could see the outskirts of Paris, the quiet and small village.  I was looking out the window to see the people walking the street, women going to market, students going to school or private educational institutes all 1 hours.  In the end, we were at a last stop, Chateau de Versailles.  This  was where Bourbon kings ruled for 107 years.  At first, this was just a villa for Louis XIII, but through Louis XIV¡fls great power, and construction for 50 years, it was reborn to a luxurious palace.  I think summer is the perfect time to visit Versailles
because in winter, we cannot see the splendid garden.  On July and August nights, a lights show called 'les grandes eaux nocturnes' is held on the water.  There are a few people in the winter's garden, so I felt somewhat empty, like atmosphere after a festival.  The most impressive room in this massive palace was the 'Mirror Room.'  When I looked  the room filled with glitter golden color and chandeliers, I was overcome with vertigo.  Going out from Versailles, I said one sentence, "Oh, this is a luxurious empire."  I cannot forget its resplendence.  Versailles surely showed the great power of Louis XIV, Le Roi Soleil (The Sun King) who said, "I am the state."

 

Musee du Louvre

 

 
We met Xavier Dupuis, the professor of Dauphin University, and we entered by invitation tickets.  Here, I looked around the museum freely and then had an interview with the Department Director for Financial Planning of the Louvre.  According to the interviewee, the Louvre is one of the three famous museums in the world with the British Museum, and the State Hermitage, and it was the symbol of France since its opening in 1793.  Especially, the Louvre is subsidized by government only half, it is operated by sponsors in the world.  The representative sponsor nations are Japan, the USA, Korean Air and Samsung.  The Louvre opened a branch in Reims, anticipating the economic development throughout the culture.  Also, as suggesting using the name, 'Louvre' is establishing branch, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, it supports not only cultural but also economic advance.  The Global Explorer team was given a question and answer period.  The reason the Louvre is half independent is that in the recent economic crisis, the independence of the museum is required and by international companies, it can develop marketing.  While touring museum, I saw some students draw pictures on their paper and some artists sit in front of one picture and imitate the piece.  By looking at these images, I thought France offers the best art education space for people.  The Louvre opened free to European students under 26. This space which is always open will be a treasure house for them.  Korea has a long way to go in culture education, policy, and facilities compared with France in cultural aspect.

  

Dauphin University

 

 
On the morning of the 29th, we headed to Dauphin University to take part in a class of Management of Cultures.  Just like university in Korea, the school was crowded with many students as they hurried to attend class.  The different thing is that all of the students had a Macnotebook and they used it actively in the class.  As we entered the classroom, some students who were already Les equipements seated welcomed us.  The lecture was 'Les equipements culturels,' learning how plan and administer culture facilities.  After about two hours of lecture finished, the special invited architect's lecture started.  Through this chance, participating class, Global Explorer team-French Language and Culture students got to have motive to their future plans.  Also, we came to notice how important culture, what culture means and, realized how we prepare to be specialist in culture management.


To be continued next month.


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