Christophe Berthonneau
Christophe Berthonneau is a French director, scenographer and producer. He is renowned for his original creations and fireworks at international events. He currently holds the position of president and art director at Groupe F.[1]
Biography
Christophe Berthonneau was born in 1963[2] and grew up among artists of all stripes. At the age of 13, he chooses performance art as his life's purpose and subsequently participates in a multitude of artistic adventures, mainly in public spaces. At 18, fascinated by the dramatic power of fire, he embarks on an all-out research of this material. These artistic and technical achievements are now applied in many fields of the entertainment industry.[3][4]
In 1992, he joins Groupe F and gathers a multidisciplinary team for the creation of « Oiseaux de Feu », the first multiform show of the company, treating the language of light in all its forms. Since then, he has designed and directed open-air shows around the globe.[5]
His work involves exploring new scenographic, artistic and pyrotechnic territories (needs citation), he produces contemporary theatre and event performances. His creations are open to all audiences.[6]
Main creations
Main open-air shows
- Les Oiseaux de Feu (on tour from 1994 to 2000)[7]
- Un peu plus de Lumière (on tour from 1997 to 2010)[7]
- Joueurs de Lumière (on tour from 2004 to 2010)[7]
- Coups de Foudre (on tour from 2008 to 2010)
- Versailles : La Face cachée du Soleil (2007 and 2008)[7]
- L’Autre Monde, Les États et Empires du Soleil (2009)
- Les Noces Royales de Louis XIV (2010)[8]
- Le Roi de Feu (2015, 2016, 2017)[9][10]
- "Migrations" series (since 2012)
- Rhône, in Arles, for the launch of Marseille Provence, European Capital of Culture 2013[11]
- Focus – La Saga des Photons, for the launch of Dunkirk Regional Capital of Culture 2013[12]
- À Fleur de Peau (on tour since 2014)[13]
- At Pont du Gard : Lux Populi (2008), Impressions (2011), Ludolux (2012), Ulysse au pays des merveilles (2013), Le Magicien d’eau (2014), Les Mondes Magiques (2015), Feux Gaulois (2016), Feux Romains (2017).[14]
- Suspended time, original creation for the 50th anniversary of the Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at the Sgt Pepper at 50 festival in Liverpool, 2017[15]
- Vives réflexions, inauguration show of Louvre Abu Dhabi, 2017[16][17][18]
Main pyrotechnic designs
- 1992 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in Barcelona[19]
- 1998 FIFA World Cup Final[19]
- Transition to the year 2000 on the Eiffel Tower[5][20]
- 2004 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, closing ceremony and 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens[21]
- Inauguration of the Rio–Antirrio Bridge, 2004
- Closing of the Universal Forum of Cultures in Barcelona, 2004
- New Year in London on the London Eye, 2004 to 2009
- 2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, 2006 Winter Olympics closing ceremony and 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin[22]
- Inauguration of the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, 2008
- Opening of the Jeff Koons exhibition at the Palace of Versailles, 2008
- Inauguration of the Burj Khalifa 2010
- Opening and closing of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Doha
- Pyrotechnic design for Cai Guo-Qiang's "One Night Stand" at the 2013 Paris Nuit Blanche
- Fireworks on the Eiffel Tower on Bastille Day 2004, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018[23]
- Opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro[22]
- New Year at the Palace of Versailles, 2021
Main multimedia creations
- 150th anniversary of Gaudí at the Sagrada Família 2001
- 120th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower 2009
- Bicentenary of Mexico 2010
- « Les Noces Royales de Louis XIV » in Versailles 2010
Works
Christophe Berthonneau has co-authored two books published by Actes Sud:
Awards
- Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters, 2011
- « Créateur sans frontière » award granted by Cultures France, 2007
- TEA Award for outstanding achievement for « The Year 2000 Starting Signal » on the Eiffel Tower, 2000
- Recognised by Vanity Fair (1)as one of the 50 most influential Frenchmen, 2015
- Honorary Citizen of Maubeuge and Arles
References
- ↑ "trombinoscope groupe F". groupef.com (in French). Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Ce soir il vous met le feu". Libération (in French). July 14, 2000. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Christophe Berthonneau : biographie, actualités et émissions France Culture". France Culture (in French). Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Christophe Berthonneau - Who's Who". www.whoswho.fr (in French). Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- 1 2 Potet, Frédéric (July 11, 2008). "Le feu d'artifice réinventé". Le Monde (in French). ISSN 1950-6244. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
- ↑ "Aux JO, il est le spécialiste des feux d'artifice". Ouest-France (in French). September 7, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- 1 2 3 4 "Le Groupe F enflamme les jardins de Versailles". La Croix (in French). August 31, 2007. ISSN 0242-6056. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Les noces royales de louis xiv, le show dantesque au chateau de versailles!". www.sortiraparis.com (in French). Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Louis XIV, le roi de feu". Château de Versailles (in French). July 3, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Versailles : le Roi Soleil met le feu au château". leparisien. July 5, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Le Groupe F met le feu au Rhône pour Marseille 2013". Culturebox. January 16, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "La Saga des Photons : la dernière création du Groupe F se joue à Dunkerque". Culturebox. December 27, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Le Groupe F offre un superbe spectacle pyrotechnique à Aurillac". magazine. August 23, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Pleins feux sur l'eau au pont du Gard avec le Groupe F". LaProvence (in French). May 29, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Suspended Time by GroupeF". Culture. June 1, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
- ↑ "M et Ibrahim Maalouf pour inaugurer le Louvre Abu Dhabi". FIGARO. October 30, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Inauguration du Louvre Abou Dabi (11.11.17)". France Diplomatie : : Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères (in French). Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
- ↑ "«Vives Réflexions» – Dialogue avec le Louvre Abu Dhabi". La France aux Émirats arabes unis (in French). Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- 1 2 "Rocket Man – Christophe Berthonneau Is the Man Behind the World's Most Breathtaking Pyrotechnics Displays. Libby Norman Meets Him as He Prepares for His Lastest [sic] Flaming Spectacular in the East End". London: The Evening Standard. June 11, 2004. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
- ↑ "Le théâtre de lumières du Groupe F". ladepeche (in French). September 2, 2000. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Ce soir, Athènes revisite les mythes de la Grèce antique". Le temps (in French). August 13, 2004. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
- 1 2 "Rio 2016: Un Français a illuminé le Maracana". leparisien. August 6, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Le magicien du feu d'artifice de Paris, c'est lui". leparisien. July 12, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ↑ Thiébaut, Elise; Nava, Thierry; Berthonneau, Christophe (June 4, 2002). Le Théâtre du feu. Actes Sud. ISBN 978-2-7427-3835-9.
- ↑ Masson, Raphaël; Thiébaut, Elise; Collectif; Nava, Thierry (September 1, 2008). Feux royaux à Versailles (in French). Actes Sud. ISBN 978-2-7427-7605-4.
External links
- (fr+en) Groupe F official website
- (in English) Groupe F LLC (Middle East) official website