Andrew Staples and Daniel Harding present Igor Stravinsky’s masterpiece in an original film version. Shot in July 2021, during the health crisis then depriving the public of concert halls and the musicians of their presence, the film imagined by Andrew Staples on the Orchestral Suite of Fire Bird shows and hears Stravinsky’s music in an unexpected setting, that of an Air France hangar at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, at the foot of an Airbus A350 from the company that Daniel Harding – head of orchestra and Air France pilot – will take off on the final anthem. An allegory to this firebird, played here by actress Pauline Cheviller, who regains her freedom, but also to the desire to reconnect music to her audience and take them on an optimistic musical journey.
Produced in collaboration with the Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France and Air France, this 25-minute film, shown on ARTE Concert and France Musique, is also a way of broadening the digital footprint of classical music in which the performer and Director Andrew Staples firmly believes in inscribing it permanently in the collective memory, thanks in particular to the contribution of cinematographic processes which break with the more conventional current representations and make it an artistic object in its own right.
A Camera Lucida, Radio France and Air France co-production in association with ARTE France and France Musique.
“This was a dream project, an impossible project and unique project borne of its time. I’m delighted that this exciting collaboration between Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France & Air France came to be and I can’t wait for people to see and hear what we all created on a special day in July 2021…”
“It was a dream project, a project both impossible and unique witness of its time. I am delighted that this exciting collaboration between the Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France and Air France has seen the light of day and I can’t wait for the public to see and hear what we all created on a special day in July 2021…”
Andrew Staples
“In music, as in aviation, collaboration is at the heart of what we do.
At the height of the Covid pandemic I saw both sectors of activity which mean so much to me brought to a standstill. Together with Andy Staples we created a number of projects that tried to use the restrictions in place as an opportunity to make things happen that would be impossible in normal times.
The collaboration between Air France, Radio France, ARTE, France Musique and Camera Lucida allowed us to bring one of France‘s great symphony orchestras in to a working maintenance hangar at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. We were able to make a film which we hope is in itself beautiful, but also one that celebrates the collaboration at the heart of music making, at the heart of aviation, and the collaboration between the 2 which made this possible.
The meeting of opposing worlds is educational and enlightening, because there is beauty and art in all human activity.
Firebird myths and legends can be found in ancient stories from Africa, Persia, Eastern and Northern Europe, Russia and Ukraine. The stories that we tell and have told for generations connect us, as does travel. Flight as a symbol for freedom, connection, and discovery is an image that has been with us for thousands of years.
Stravinsky‘s Firebird is a story of darkness, repression, and violence, but ultimately of rebirth, freedom, and hope.
We needed that then, and we will need it again.”
“In music, as in aviation, collaboration is at the heart of what we do.
At the height of the pandemic, I saw these two business sectors that are so close to my heart come to a standstill. With Andy Staples, we created a number of projects that tried to turn the restrictions then in place into an opportunity to do things that would have been impossible to put in place in normal times.
The collaboration between Air France, Radio France and the Bright Chamber enabled us to bring one of France’s great symphony orchestras to a maintenance hangar at Paris-C airportharles-de-Gaulle. We were able to make a film that we hope is beautiful on its own, but also a film that celebrates collaboration, at the heart of music, at the heart of aviation.
The meeting of opposite worlds is pedagogic and illuminating, because there is beauty and art in all human activity.
The myths and legends of the Firebird are found in ancient stories from Africa, Persia, Eastern and Northern Europe, Russia and Ukraine. The stories we tell and have told for generations connect us, just like travel. Flight, a symbol of freedom, connection and discovery, is an image that has accompanied us for thousands of years.
Fire Bird by Stravinsky is a story of darkness, repression and violence, but also of rebirth, freedom and hope.
We needed it then, and we will need it again.”
Daniel Harding