editorial

The Agora festival is dedicated to the memory of composer
Luciano Berio (1925-2003).

The Agora festival, highlight of the artistic season, is coming up as a pluridisciplinary festival focusing on current projects of IRCAM. Since its five-year existence, it became an important event in the French music scene attracting a mixed public. Agora aims to encourage a dialogue between arts, different techniques and artistic issues. As a complementary event of the new international convention on music technologies (Resonances), inaugurated last autumn, Agora offers a more accomplished version of the projects already set out in October. Likewise, the next edition of Resonances will be enriched with new artistic topics, which can be discussed and exchanged.

Agora can count on the long-term collaboration of several partners who are ready to be part of its adventures : Centre Pompidou, Cité de la Musique as well as the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord. This year, a marquee will be located on the prestigious historical site of the Jardin des Tuileries thanks to a special cooperation with Monum (Center of National Momuments). It will welcome the performance Schlag !, various concerts, workshops and meetings, all brought together in a program with the appropriate title "Les Jardins d'Agora". Starting under the sign of the circus, Agora presents a large program focusing on the voice (inaugurating a collaboration with the association Textes & Voix), the relations between dance and music and the emergence of popular music in "classical" music writing without forgetting important figures in the history of Ircam such as Jonathan Harvey and Philippe Manoury. Besides other talented musicians, Agora will welcome, in residence, the ensemble Ictus from Brussels that will present three different programs.

From Ircam "Espro" to the Jardin des Tuileries, beyond protocols and styles, in an open dialogue between research and creation, innovation and tradition : Agora 2003 wants to share the artistic adventure of this new century. Participating at this festival means to be open to the latest development on artistic tendencies or to "lend an ear", "to make reverberate the body" as the philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy will describe it in the opening keynote of the festival.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

HOW TO BUY YOUR TICKETS

The reservation service of the festival Agora will be open starting from
April, 14th 2003.

Reservation at the Ircam :
Ticket sale of all festival concerts and performances :

 At Ircam/Festival Desk. 1 place Igor-Stravinsky, 75004 Paris.
From Monday to Friday : from 13h to 18h.
From Monday to Saturday : from 10h to 18h during the festival.

 By phone at +33 (0)1 44 78 48 16 (payment by credit card is possible).
From Monday to Friday : from 10h to 18h. Commands that are paid at least 10 days before the date of the first performance will be available on the evening of the concert. Tickets that have not been picked up will not be reimbursed.

 By mail. Ircam, Festival Agora 2003, Communication Service, 1 place Igor-Stravinsky, 75004 Paris. Click on http://agora2003.ircam.frencart_en.pdf to download the order form that you can print out, fill out and send together with your payment (check or credit card) as well as a stamped envelope addressed to yourself (for sending the tickets). Commands that are paid at least 10 days before the date of the first performance will be available on the evening of the concert. Tickets that have not been picked up will not be reimbursed.

Reservation in other concert locations :
The sale of single tickets only for performances taking place in this location :

 Centre Pompidou. At the central box office starting 14 days before the date of the concert. Reservation by telephone is not possible.
 Cité de la musique. At the box office or by telephone : 01 44 84 44 84. On the website : www.cite-musique.fr/resa
 Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord. At the box office or by telephone : 01 46 07 34 50.
 Jardin des Tuileries. At the box office (payment is only possible by check or cash).

TICKET RATES

 Ircam, Centre Pompidou, Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord :
Full rate : 16 €.
Reduced rate*** : 12 €.
 Cité de la musique :
Full rate : from 16 € to 20 €.
Reduced rate : from 11,20 € to 14 €.
 Jardins des Tuileries :
Performance Schlag ! : Full rate, 16 €, Reduced rate**, 12 €.
Other concerts : 5 €.

Fidelity Formula
This formula can only be purchased at IRCAM.
When you buy tickets for at least three different performances, you will benefit from special rates :

 Full rate : 12 € /ticket (instead of 16 €).
 Reduced rate** : 9 € /ticket (instead of 12 €).

All concerts have to be chosen when you buy the formula, which is individual. Please note that it doesn't include the following items :
Opening Keynote A l'écoute de Jean-Luc Nancy (June, 10th), the "Jardins d'Agora" and the concerts at Cité de la Musique (June, 14th and 18th).

** Reduced rates
Less than 25 years only, job seeker (ANPE card), members Ensemble Intercontemporain, members Centre Pompidou, members of the IRCAM Forum, card holders Ministry of Culture, author members SACD, groups (starting from 10 persons). Please note that you'll have to present a written proof.

OTHER INFORMATIONS

Doors will be open 30 minutes before the start of the concert and will be closed as soon as the concert has started. In case you arrive late, you can only go in during the breaks.
Seats are not numbered and will be indicated by order of arrival.
Tickets will not be reimbursed nor exchanged, even in case of loss or theft, only in case of canceling of the concert.
Program or distribution changes, such as the interruption of the concert that takes place after the half of the performance, will not give right to reimbursement.

Fête de la musique
Access for the "Jardins d'Agora" (June, 21th) is free.

AGORA 2003 IS PRODUCED AND ORGANISED BY THE IRCAM - CENTRE POMPIDOU

IN COLLABORATION WITH

 Les Spectacles vivants - Centre Pompidou
 Monum, Centre des Monuments Nationaux
 Le Site CRA - Compagnie Roland Auzet
 La Cité de la musique
 Le Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord
 La Muse en Circuit