Bonjour!
TRK is your connection to French language cultures from around the world!
TRK is your connection to French language cultures from around the world!
September 29, 2023
GMCLA is one of hundreds of Gay Men’s Choruses nationwide and also the longest-running, first gathering to rehearse in Plummer Park in West Hollywood in 1979. Today the ensemble is conducted by Ernest H. Harrison and mixes high-quality production values and vocal style, with over 180 members in service of the organization’s mission to expose new communities to its message of equality.
“The Chorus has given so much to … the entire region over these 44 years – we have sung for our rights, for lives lost, for the tragedies and the triumphs and for many other civil rights movements as well. It’s quite a family of dedicated people who love to sing, love to be a part of this family, and love to serve the greater LA region”, said GMCLA’s Executive Director and Producer, Lou Spisto.
October 4th, 2023
dSimon is the brainchild of Swiss artist Simon Senn and computer developer Tammara Leites and explores the potential and perils of artificial intelligence.
dSimon is a digital clone of Simon Senn, created by using his personal data, including 15,000 emails, text messages, and notebooks. Tammara Leites used Chat GPT2, the language model developed by Open AI (an Elon Musk venture) to use Simon Senn’s data and train the artificial intelligence to generate text itself. And so was born the digital copy of Simon: dSimon.
“dSimon is a way for us to explore the potential and perils of artificial intelligence,” said Senn. “We want to raise questions about the future of humanity and our relationship with machines.”
“dSimon is also a work of art,” said Leites. “We want to create a show that is thought-provoking and entertaining.”
October 6th, 2023
"Simone: Woman of the Century" is an inspiring film that delves into the extraordinary life of Simone Veil (1927-2017), a trailblazing woman who defied societal norms and made a significant impact on French and European societies. To the French, Veil is one of the most revered public figures of recent history and the film deftly follows her life from a Nazi concentration camp to her astonishing rise to the President of the European Parliament. The film beautifully captures her journey, struggles, and triumphs, showcasing her as a true icon of the century.
Written and directed by Olivier Dahan, this latest film completes the trilogy he began with the Edith Piaf biopic “La Vie en Rose,” starring Marion Cotillard, and “Grace of Monaco,” starring Nicole Kidman. Asked what drew him to the life story of Veil, Dahan explained: “My grandmother, and my father and his brothers, all French Jews born in France, were chased by the French police during the Second World War, but fortunately they avoided being sent to concentration camps. I grew up with that history. That was the first factor which attracted me to this project. At the end, I dedicate the film to my father.”
November 4th, 2023
“A must-see, must-live experience.”
— Paris Match
“A pure, simple, delicate, deep and funny moment.”
— Figaro Scope
“An excellent piece of theatre.”
— Culture Tops
Caroline Loeb, star of the 1980s pop music scene, becomes Françoise Sagan, the vibrant, passionate novelist who found success at the age of 18 with the (then) scandalous 1954 novel "Bonjour Tristesse". In adapting a compilation of Sagan’s candid interviews, Caroline Loeb revives the symbol of a casual, bourgeois generation, this "charming little monster" as François Mauriac once called her.
Moving, funny, lucid and implacable, we witness Sagan’s absolute love of literature, the importance of desire, her disdain for money, her passion for gambling, and death in ambush. Directed by Alex Lutz, Caroline Loeb gives an astonishing portrayal of this passionate lover of life, always on the edge. The show was nominated for Best One-Woman Show at the 2018 Molières.
November 16th, 2023
French Animation Fest is a key annual event celebrating French eclecticism and know-how. France is the world's third-largest animation producer, behind only the United States and Japan.
Over the course of an evening, audiences are transported into a universe where animation is the universal language of contemporary creativity. The festival offers a wide range of animated shorts with an array of artistic styles, techniques and themes. From poignant tales to daring visual explorations, each film is an artistic nugget offering its own immersive experience, moving from laughter to tears and from deep thoughts to levity.
By choosing animation, TRK highlights the unlimited expressive potential of this creative technique, which not even the magic of special effects can offer and enables its viewers to travel to real and imaginary worlds, far from the present time and space.
Among this ambitious collection of eleven animated shorts, many have been selected for prestigious festivals such as the NIKON Film Festival and the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. This year's selection also includes films by emerging filmmakers from renowned French animation schools, such as ESMA - École Supérieure des Métiers Artistiques. These up-and-coming creators reveal unique perspectives, singular voices and innovative aesthetics, making the festival a veritable field of discovery for film enthusiasts.
November 30, 2023
“Imagine a stage filled with five contemporary Reinhardt descendants.”
—Wall Street Journal
“Buoyant rhythm, blinding technique . . . solid entertainment.”
—New York Times
“...lightning-fast finger work, powerful strumming, wild sweeps across the fingerboard and astonishingly fast tempos.”
—Los Angeles Times
Born to Gypsy parents near the German border in Lorraine, Dorado Schmitt was weaned on traditional Roma music and Gypsy jazz. He is joined by his sons, Samson and Amati Schmitt, creating a veritable guitar dynasty on stage, along with the brilliant rhythm guitarist Francko Mehrstein and Gino Roman on bass and Roger Kellaway on piano.
Django Reinhardt’s unmistakable cool and jumping joie de vivre have made him an icon for generations. The star musicians of the Django Festival All Stars are a brilliantly cohesive group. The group’s music transports listeners to Paris in the 1920s and ’30s, when hot jazz filled the air and Django was king. The Django Festival All Stars bring Reinhardt’s music into the 21st century, honoring traditions and standards while adding their own interpretations, arrangements, and original compositions.
December 7, 2023
Discover or re-discover the dance company BrockusRED, (based in Los Angeles and founded in 1994) in a program of excerpts specially designed for TRK. Labeled ‘the single most important person in Southland dance” an “impresario”, ‘ the mother superior of LA dance” and ”tireless” by the Los Angeles Times, Deborah Brockus is renowned for her involvement in establishing the local dance scene as a producer, choreographer, and teacher.
The program skillfully blends visual art and literature to give birth to movement, in a spellbinding composition and aesthetic. Sources of inspiration are drawn from poetry, visual art and sculpture, from the Borghese Dancers to the vibrant painting of Jean-François Millet's The Gleaners.
The visual language of art is transformed into a choreographic vocabulary, a metamorphosis from stillness to movement. Pierre Leloup, Artistic Director of TRK, and avid lover of dance explained the raison d’être of the selection especially designed for TRK: "I remember the days when attending a dance performance was more than just a cultural outing, it was an escape, a gift! Those special moments changed my relationship to the body, the music, the aesthetics, the energy and all the ingredients that make up the magic of a show."
January 19-20-21, 2024
Back by popular demand, this year marks the 2nd edition of Django à Gogo Los Angeles, a music festival dedicated to the art of the greatest guitar master who ever lived: Django Reinhardt.
This one-of-a-kind 3-day festival features a stellar lineup, including the internationally acclaimed Stephane Wrembel Band, the enchanting Aurore Voilqué on violin from France, the charismatic Simba Baumgartner from France on guitar (Django Reinhardt’s great-Grandson), the vivacious Russell Welsh hailing from the heart of New Orleans, Baltimore-based guitar virtuoso Sam Farthing, Tommy Davy on guitar, Luanne Homzy on violin (the two are part of the LA-based Trio Dinicu, specialized in Eastern European Gypsy Folk).
February 8th, 2024
“A Night of Short French Films" has become an annual highlight of TRK's season, showcasing a diverse array of compelling short films that embody the richness and creativity of contemporary French filmmaking.
Marking its 15th year, "A Night of Short French Films" has consistently been a platform for emerging and established French filmmakers to exhibit their talent, offering Los Angeles audiences a unique and intimate glimpse into the world of French cinema. The event has become a cherished tradition, attracting film enthusiasts, Francophiles, and cinephiles alike.
February 15, 2024
"What she does with her voice is absolutely incredible" - NPR
"Her interpretations of the genre are eclectic and unexpected" - New Yorker
“[Our Roots Run Deep’ is] a spacious, dream-like world” - Bandcamp Daily
TRK is thrilled to announce a captivating evening with acclaimed Québécois singer Dominique Fils-Aimé for a one-night-only performance as she returns to the stage to present her new album ‘Our Roots Run Deep’ released in September 2023 on Ensoul Records.
Dominique Fils-Aimé, celebrated for her powerful vocals and versatile musical talent, won a Felix in 2019 for Jazz Album of the Year, a JUNO in 2020 for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year and was nominated for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize shortlist in both 2019 and 2021. The mercurial singer-songwriter hailing from Montreal dazzles the listener with her radiant voice and underlying message of empathy.
This one-night-only show provides the audience with a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in Fils-Aimé's exceptional musical universe, blending jazz, blues, and soul with captivating elegance. Throughout her work, Dominique creates an enveloping space by creating her own musical language. She layers a variety of catchy, wordless vocal chords that resemble mantras or prayers - repeating themselves, soothing the nervous system. These motifs have no literary definition, and so escape the grasp of our minds. The result is a sonic space where the listener can feel and dream at the same pace as innovative melodic structures.
February 28th, 2024
11 of Georges Méliès most iconic silent films | 3 musicians | 50 instruments
“A magical hour where films, lighting and music weave a rich tapestry.
A unique experience that goes way beyond merely watching very old movies”.
SG Fringe, Edinburgh
“We are living in the movie world created by Georges Méliès more than a century ago,
smug in the illusion that we are experiencing the very latest thing.”
The New York Times
“Georges Méliès was ‘the alchemist of light.’”
Charlie Chaplin
"Right in the eye" is a magical show where a evocative and intricate score complements the fantastical films of one of the earliest cinematographers, Georges Méliès.
On stage, a trio of virtuoso musicians conjure music from an extraordinary array of instruments as a projection of Méliès films transport us to another universe.
Instruments include the basics like piano, percussion and guitar with fantastic oddities like the aquaphone, theremin and melodica; and mundane objects like stemware, circular saws, and even plastic take-out lids!
March 14 & 15, 2025
Through a series of mundane and minor accidents, this small sample of humanity from Quebec, linked together by improbable situations, gradually transforms the empty space of the stage into a universe filled with hilarious possibilities.
Strange and playful, "Malaise dans la civilisation" allows us to observe complex, fascinating beings who innocently venture to the limits of morality. It’s touching and disturbing all at once.
In their creative partnership, co-directors Alix Dufresne and Étienne Lepage shake up both social and theatrical conventions, experimenting with the porous border between the stage and the audience. The four characters in Malaise dans la civilisation, with no defined age, refuse to accept norms, or more precisely, do not care about them.
March 17, 2024
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with renowned musician Séamus Egan at Theatre Raymond Kabbaz.
It’s hard to think of an artist in traditional Irish music more influential than Seamus Egan. From his beginnings as a teen prodigy, to his groundbreaking solo work with Shanachie Records, to his founding of Irish-American powerhouse band Solas, to his current work as one of the leading composers and interpreters of the tradition, Egan has inspired multiple generations of musicians and helped define the sound of Irish music today.
As a multi-instrumentalist, he’s put his mark on the sound of the Irish flute, tenor banjo, guitar, mandolin, tin whistle, and low whistle, among others. As a composer, he was behind the soundtrack for the award-winning film The Brothers McMullen, co-wrote Sarah McLachlan’s breakout hit, “Weep Not for the Memories,” and has scored numerous documentaries and indie films since.
This St. Patrick's Day concert at Theatre Raymond Kabbaz promises an authentic and spirited experience that will transport attendees to the heart of Irish musical traditions.
March 19-24, 2024
A Week of French Language Cinema exemplifies the range and vibrancy of contemporary French language filmmakers, taking place March 19-25.
For the fifteenth year straight, in collaboration with the Consulates General of Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, France, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Quebec Government Office in Los Angeles, and Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles, TRK presents A Week of French Language Cinema, with nightly screenings of critically acclaimed French language films, from March 19th through March 25th. All films are subtitled in English.
A Week of French Language Cinema is organized annually to coincide with the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF)’s celebration of the French language and Francophone culture on March 20th. The event is the perfect showcase to present the artistry of French-language voices the world over.
Tickets for each screening are only $10, or $50 for a pass for the whole week (7 nights/9 movies), and include a free pre-screening buffet at 7pm. The French screening on March 24th will include the free buffet during intermission.
All films with English subtitles.
April 7, 2024
Theatre Raymond Kabbaz is proud to present an extraordinary evening of jazz mastery as Grammy-winning guitarist John Scofield performs with Vicente Archer and Bill Stewart for two concerts in a single night on April 7, 2024. The highly anticipated back-to-back performances promise an unforgettable evening of musical virtuosity and creative brilliance.
Renowned for his genre-defying style, John Scofield has captivated audiences worldwide with his distinctive sound that effortlessly blends jazz, funk, and blues. Vicente Archer's soulful bass lines and Bill Stewart's masterful drumming provide the perfect foundation for Scofield's genre-defying guitar work.
This dynamic trio, celebrated for its exceptional chemistry and innovative improvisation, will take the audience on a sonic journey through the realms of jazz, showcasing the depth and breadth of their collective talent.
May 1, 2024
Four hip-hop dancers plunge us into a dreamlike world where their different memories of life collide.
In a succession of sketches set against a fantastical backdrop, mime, hip-hop, and physical theater melds and intertwines with every movement.
Each moment conjures a dreamlike world where memory is interrogated and the passage of time is reflected. The audience is invited to question their own memories as the dancers strip the fragmented feathers of the past away bit by bit, until only a raw canvas remains.
Choreography: Fouad Kouchy
Set design: Olivier Borne
Dancers: Yann Crayssac, Mounir Kerfah, Benjamin Midonet, Mounir Touaa
May 11, 2024
Après le succès de « Vie de mère » et plus de 300 dates de tournée, la comédienne et humoriste belge revient avec son nouveau spectacle « Femme de vie ».
Véronique Gallo décortique avec humour et émotion, la quarantaine au féminin ! La charge mentale, les enfants qui grandissent, les parents qui vieillissent, la peau qui se relâche, les bouffées de chaleur, la perfection qu’on s’impose, la pression d’être en couple, l’image que l’on a de soi, les injections au Botox…
Sans complexe, Véronique Gallo nous interroge…Et si la Nature apportait une réponse aux questions incessantes que l’on se pose ?
May 17, 2024
Theatre Raymond Kabbaz (TRK) presents the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra (LAV) conducted by Carlo Ponti, and featuring emerging talent on the piano, Hye Jin Park. Special guests include world-class Italian tenor Pasquale Esposito performing a rendition of the classic Italian song 'O Sole Mio', dedicated to Sophia Loren, who is anticipated to be in attendance.
For this concert on May 17th, the award-winning South Korean pianist Hye Jin Park, currently an Artist Diploma Candidate at the Colburn Conservatory of Music takes the stage to perform W.A. Mozart’s Piano Concerto no. 12.
The performance culminates as world-class tenor Pasquale Esposito delivers a rendition of the beloved Italian song "O Sole Mio." The song will be specially dedicated to Sophia Loren, who is anticipated to be in attendance. Ms. Loren stands as one of the most celebrated actresses in the international film industry. With a career that spans over six decades, she continues to captivate audiences with her enduring elegance and acting prowess. Esposito's tribute to Loren will be a highlight of the night, adding an extra layer of glamour and emotion to the event.
PROGRAM “Symphonic Sensations”
E. Satie – Gymnopedie no. 3
W.A. Mozart – Piano Concerto no. 12 in A Major, K. 414
Hye Jin Park, piano soloist
L. Janaceck – Idyll for String Orchestra
May 30 & 31, 2024
Des textes d’auteurs différents : Sedef Ecer, Sonia Ristic et Jean-Michel Ribes.
Mise en scène de Pierre Leloup.
Distribution : Sarah Majeau, Caroline Dumas, Christine Oustry, Pierre Leloup, Estelle Renouard, Jeff Herry, Anabel Garraud, Marlène Boucat, Chloé Broutechoux, Andréa Fesi, Sergio Parreira.
En français, sans surtitres.
Ouverture des portes à 19h pour le bar payant et les sandwiches jambon-beurre / fromage.
Ruptures et Ultimes batailles sont des textes d’auteurs différents : Sedef Ecer, Sonia Ristic et Jean Michel Ribes, mais ce sont des textes qui se rejoignent dans leur intention.
Eparpillés dans l'espace mais pourtant étrangement reliés, des couples se retrouvent, le temps d'une journée, à l'endroit de la rupture ou de l’incompréhension.
Les textes racontent des trajectoires de vie sur fond de départ et d’arrivée. C’est d’ailleurs un décor d’aéroport qui lance le décollage de la pièce !
Il y a des personnages qui cherchent un sens à leur vie, d’autres qui fuient. Des personnages qui finiront par se croiser au détour d’un hall d’aéroport, d’une chambre d’hôtel ou d’une terrasse de café. Des personnages qui s’invitent ou qui traversent une intrigue qui n’est pas la leur. Des chroniques de la vie conjugale.
Il y a de l’humour, de la souffrance, des illusions perdues, du rire, de la peur, des ruptures, des batailles et des histoires qui s’achèvent.
Une fantaisie subversive et une poésie se dégagent de ces diverses situations ayant pour point commun le quotidien. Ce qui est jubilatoire, c’est que, très vite, les choses dérapent et font voler en éclats les convenances.
Des situations anecdotiques agissent comme révélateur de la nature humaine et de ses travers : individualisme, narcissisme, insensibilité.
Il y a à l’arrivée un texte très touchant qui raconte nos fragilités, un texte qui dit notre monde d’aujourd’hui.
