The Cultural Brackets : a new artistic programme to discover

February 01, 2023

A new feature of the winter programme, The Cultural Brackets gives culture a place of honour in the resort.

Created by the Tourist Office’s Animation and Events Department, The Cultural Brackets cover several themes on different dates.
Throughout the winter season, you will find jazz, theatre shows and cinema sessions in the auditorium, the emblematic place of this artistic programme. This is what our versatile stage manager explains to you in this article.

The expert : Jimmy Starosseltvev

Versatile stage manager at Méribel Tourisme

Can you explain in a few sentences what The Cultural Brackets is?

When we learned that we had the entire auditorium at our disposal, we wanted to relaunch the cultural space as it was before. In addition to its availability, the auditorium offers an operating system (sound, light, video) that allows us to have another view of the stage and technical space to project ourselves forward on many performances.

We had to use the auditorium in some way in our winter programming. And that’s how The Cultural Brackets was born… well, almost, since the name comes straight from the creative mind of Xavier Albrieux, the head of the Animation and Tourist Events department.

In concrete terms, the main objective of The Cultural Brackets is to give a second life to the auditorium of Méribel with a diversified artistic and cultural programme.

This year, it is the first edition and I hope that it is the beginning of a springboard that will reach its glory in time.

The Cultural Brackets in 3 points, it is :

a jazz festival ;
theatre performances ;
cultural film sessions.

How did you prepare the programming of The Cultural Brackets ?

Xavier and I have been working on it since the end of the summer season. The first step was to choose the art forms to be represented in the stage space made available to us. Since the cinema has not been renewed in the auditorium, we imagined the projection of old films without overshadowing the Méribel-Mottaret cinema.

To be able to show films, you have to join a federation or be part of a non-profit association. So we opted for the first option and I decided to go with a Charlie Chaplin theme. The winter season’s sessions will therefore be based on Chaplin’s films.

In parallel with the film culture, we are launching a theatre programme that is 100% local and Savoyard. After attending a performance by the Comédie des Alpes company, I thought that the auditorium stage would be ideal for their acting. Note that there will be four theatre evenings in March and April.

Finally, for the jazzy programme, the most difficult thing was to find common slots with the artists, but we managed to match our agendas. The four performers will take us on a journey and convey their own vision of jazz through their voices and instruments.

Jazz in Méribel, it's not the first time. Do you have a moment which moved you last year ?

The programme of the first Jazz Variations festival was very eclectic and all the artists impressed me. Agathe Iracema, Célia Kameni, CHROMATIK or Sly Johnson were able to transport the audience with jazz that was different from the collective imagination.

But it was the group CHROMATIK that blew me away the most. I knew that several cultures could be linked together, but I hadn’t had the opportunity to listen to hip-hop rap jazz and I found the rhythm perfect.

What dates do you think you should not miss?

This is a difficult question because this first edition of the Parenthèses Culturelles offers a lot of richness and artistic diversity. But I must admit that I have a favourite: Will Barber. This musician with a Ben Harper style had completely impressed me with a Pink Floyd interpretation during a TV contest in 2017. He comes to Méribel for the Jazz Variations festival on Thursday 02 March. An appointment not to be missed if you are in the resort at that time.

Then, I advise you the play “Crétin des Alpes” of the Comédie des Alpes on Thursday March 30th. It’s not just a theatrical show, it’s quite crazy and plays with the clichés about Savoyards and the preconceived ideas or quirks that we can have. It is a very comical performance that will please both children and parents.

Finally, I would say the film “The Dictator” by Charlie Chaplin. It’s not every day you get the chance to see this international classic on the big screen, so you should take advantage of it. See you on Tuesday 28 March in the auditorium for this film culture event.

And what will you be doing during The Cultural Brackets ?

My role is to welcome the artists, prepare their dressing room, and liaise with the sound engineer for sound adjustments. During the sound check, I take care of the lighting plan, i.e. the way the performer will be lit on stage during the performance. After that, I have him validate it.

In my job, you are in contact with the person who is going to be on stage, faced with the artistic requirements to achieve something accomplished and concrete during the show. You have to succeed in satisfying both visual and audio needs, under the spotlight. It’s a great challenge!

Last but not least, you can of course find me in the control room on all these dates. And I hope to see many of you there!

The programme in February

Children's show : Xavier Stubbe

Xavier Stubbe invites children to remake the world in song at the auditorium on Tuesday 21 February from 6 to 7 pm with his show “On refait le monde”.
Festival Jazz Variations : Caloé

A fervent admirer of Ella Fitzgerald, Caloé will seduce you on Thursday 23rd February from 9pm to 10.45pm in the auditorium of Méribel.

The Cultural Brackets in March

Festival Jazz Variations : Will Barber

His Old School style and his extraordinary voice are waiting for you at the auditorium of Méribel-Centre on Thursday 02 March from 9 to 10.45 pm.
Culture Ciné : Le Kid

This classic of international cinema and Charlie Chaplin’s films is screened on Tuesday 07 March from 9pm to 11pm.
Festival Jazz Variations : Uptown Lovers

For this third evening under the sign of jazz, find the music of Uptown Lovers on Thursday 09 March from 21h to 23h in the auditorium.
Culture Ciné : La ruée vers l'or

Embark on this wonderful epic of the gold rush with this film by Charlie Chaplin on Tuesday 14th March from 9pm to 11pm at the auditorium of Méribel-Centre.
Festival Jazz Variations : René Lacaille

For this last date of the festival, come to the auditorium on Thursday 16 March from 9pm to 10.45pm to be enchanted by René Lacaille and his accordion.
Culture Ciné : Les lumières de la ville

A wanderer falls in love with a young blind florist and finds his life turned upside down. Rediscover this Charlie Chaplin classic on Tuesday 21 March from 9 to 11 pm.
Coups de théâtre : Cluster

The Comédie des Alpes offers you a gritty eight-clos on Thursday 23 March from 9pm to 11pm in the auditorium of Méribel.
Culture Ciné : Le dictateur

Last screening of the Parenthèses Culturelles, see this Charlie Chaplin masterpiece on Tuesday 28 March from 9pm to 11pm.
Coups de théâtre : Crétins des Alpes

The Méribel auditorium brings down the curtain with this series of funny sketches on the clichés of the Savoyards, on Thursday 30th March from 9 to 11 pm.

Cultural dates in April

Children's show : Alain Moisan

Come with your children to sing and dance with Alain Moisan’s new show “Le carnaval des animaux”, on Monday 10 April from 6 to 7 pm in the auditorium.
Children's show : Behind the door

The unusual meeting of two characters gives rise to the show “Tour de Cirque”, to be seen on Tuesday 11th April from 6pm to 7pm at Méribel.
Coups de théâtre : Les monologues du machin

The male counterpart to the famous Vagina Monologues, this show will be performed in the auditorium on Thursday 13 April from 9 to 11 pm.