Historic first French opera fusion in BD announced at Artist Club

 Dhaka, Oct 25 - The 11-day celebration marking the 1st Anniversary of The Artist Club Ltd. will start from November 11.

A grand press briefing was held at Pearl Hall Room, Hotel InterContinental Dhaka to officially announce celebration.

Sujit Mustafa, renowned singer & President of The Artist Club Ltd., Prof. Dr. A. H. M. Mustafizur Rahman, Chief Coordinator of the 1st Anniversary Celebration Committee, Mr. Frédéric INZA, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of France in Bangladesh, Singer Mahfuzar Rahman representing the Dhaka University Cultural Foundation (DUCF), and Olivier Loreaux, Director of Food & Beverage, Hotel InterContinental Dhaka were present.

Delivering the main written keynote address on behalf of the organization, Chief Coordinator Prof. Dr. A. H. M. Mustafizur Rahman expressed heartfelt gratitude to all attending media friends and detailed the comprehensive 11-day festival itinerary.

He highlighted that The Artist Club Ltd. began its journey three years ago with a vision to nurture promising young talents of the new generation in Bangladesh, officially receiving registration in 2025, and has since successfully hosted over 200 episodes of its signature 'Friday Musical Performance'. On the occasion of the 1st Anniversary, the club has undertaken three major programs: firstly, a nationwide art competition titled 'Atelier Award: Young Painters of Tomorrow' for artists aged 20–35 from universities, art colleges, and freelancers to discover and empower promising young talents of the new generation; secondly, a 10-day Ethnic & Folk Music Festival (11–20 November 2026) in collaboration with Hotel InterContinental Dhaka, presenting the rich musical heritage of Baul, Bhatiyali, Bhawaiya, Gambhira, Lalon, Hason Raja, Manipuri, Chakma, Marma, Santal, Hajong, and other communities; and thirdly, the grand closing ceremony on 21 November 2026 at the Grand Ballroom, Hotel InterContinental Dhaka featuring a historic fusion of Bangladeshi Opera with French Opera.

Renowned French Opera artist Véronique Pain and French pianist Mr. Fabrice Maître have accepted the invitation to perform live in Dhaka for the first time under the esteemed patronage of H.E. Mr. Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh, with high-level diplomatic coordination extended through the French Embassy.

Addressing the press conference, Baptiste Lebret - Cultural Attaché, Embassy of France in Bangladesh, confirmed the full support of the French Embassy for the successful completion of the French Opera show for the first time in Bangladesh, reiterating their steadfast commitment to fostering bilateral cultural diplomacy and promoting international artistic exchanges between France and Bangladesh.

Sujit Mustafa shared introductory insights into the club's founding vision and extended a vote of thanks to the partners. He expressed deep gratitude to The Embassy of France in Bangladesh for their invaluable patronage, venue partner Hotel InterContinental Dhaka for their warm hospitality, and co-organizer Dhaka University Cultural Foundation (DUCF) for their all-out collaboration.

He emphasized that such grand international cultural exchanges require broader patronage and urged corporate houses, cultural organizations, and patrons to step forward and support these artistic initiatives.

The press briefing concluded with an interactive Question & Answer (Q&A) session where the panel members responded to diverse queries from journalists regarding the festival schedule, artist lineups, and exhibition details, followed by cordial refreshments. - UNB