We Recommend
The EY Exhibition: Picasso 1932 – Love, Fame, Tragedy
Thu 8 Mar - Sun 9 Sep
Tate Modern
Previously shown in Paris under the name Picasso 1932, année érotique, this acclaimed exhibition is celebrating one of Picasso's most intensely creative year, gathering more than 100 paintings,sculptures and drawings, inspired by his lover Marie-Thérèse Walte
Visual Arts
The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Monet & Architecture
Mon 9 Apr - Sun 29 Jul
National Gallery
There’s never been a single exhibition looking at Monet’s career through the buildings he painted: in Normandy, in Rouen, in Paris, London, and Venice. Monet painted the architecture of his time : modern, historic, simple and grand.
Visual Arts
Rodin and the art of ancient Greece
Thu 26 Apr - Sun 29 Jul
British Museum
One hundred years after his death, see a selection of Rodin's works in a new light. For the first time, Rodin's sculptures are shown alongside some of the Parthenon sculptures that the artist so admired, as well as selected objects from his own collection.
Visual Arts
Azzedine Alaïa: The Couturier
Thu 10 May - Sun 7 Oct
Design Museum
Conceived and co-curated with Monsieur Alaïa before his death in November 2017, the exhibition charts his incredible journey from sculptor to couturier, his nonconformist nature and his infectious energy for fashion, friendship and the female body.
Visual Arts
Astérix in Britain: The Life and Work of René Goscinny
Thu 10 May - Sun 30 Sep
Jewish Museum
This immersive and playful exhibition explores the unique imagination of the co-creator of the Astérix and Lucky Luke comics. Goscinny’s story is brought to life through rare scripts, storyboards, tools, photographs, films, sketches and a little wild boar.
Talks, Visual Arts
American Journal by Christine Montalbetti
Wed 23 May - Mon 23 Jul
Dalkey Archive Press
Beginning as a road novel reuniting Donovan and Tom Lee, old friends from their college days, Christine Montalbetti’s novel quickly becomes a playfully unpredictable exploration of American culture. Translated by Jane Kuntz.
Books
Animals & Us
Fri 25 May - Sun 30 Sep
Turner Contemporary
This exhibition is focusing on contemporary and 20th century artists, including Marguerite Humeau, and explores artists’ reflections on the relationship between humans and animals at a time when humans may be causing the sixth mass extinction on Earth.
Visual Arts
Molière’s Tartuffe
Fri 25 May - Sat 28 Jul
Theatre Royal Haymarket
Inspired by current world events, award-winning playwright Christopher Hampton has freshly adapted Molière's comedic masterpiece to present day LA. Starring a French and British cast (including Audrey Fleurot, Paul Anderson, Sebastian Roché, George Blagden), this will be the West End’s first ever dual language production.
Performing Arts
Manderley Forever by Tatiana de Rosnay
Wed 30 May - Mon 30 Jul
Atlantic Books
In this startling and immersive new biography, bestselling French novelist Tatiana de Rosnay pays homage to Daphne du Maurier, the writer who influenced her deeply. Discover a vividly compelling portrait of a writer by another!
Books
Aftermath: Art in the Wake of World War One
Tue 5 Jun - Sun 23 Sep
Tate Britain
Marking the centenary of the end of World War One, this fascinating and moving exhibition looks at how artists responded to the physical and psychological scars left on Europe.
14-18, Visual Arts
Small Country by Gaël Faye
Wed 6 Jun - Mon 6 Aug
Penguin Books
Gabriel is a 10-years old child living in a comfortable expat neighbourhood in Burundi in 1992. But his peaceful idyll shatters when his 'small country' is brutally hit by war and genocide. A luminous novel about the end of innocence translated by S. Ardizzone.
Books
D-Construction – Compagnie Dyptik
Fri 8 - Sat 30 Jun
UK Tour
A very energetic hip-hop dance performance with a powerful beat and an oriental twist. A metal scaffolding stands in the middle of the playground and the dancers interact with it, experiencing the liberation of the mind through movement.
Performing Arts
Vernon Subutex 2 by Virginie Despentes
Wed 13 Jun - Mon 13 Aug
MacLehose
Follow Vernon Subutex for a new episode across Paris, translated by Frank Wynne and published by MacLehose Press! Vernon Subutex 1 was shorlisted for the Man Booker International Prize 2018.
Books
French Artist and Photographer Franck Gérard
Thu 21 Jun
Metal - Southend on Sea
Franck Gérard captures the unusual and the incongruous of everyday life through ‘wandering’. He will be taking up residence at Metal in Southend in June to create a new collection of photographs taken on the streets of Southend. Free talk on the 21st of June.
Talks
Collision Frequency
Fri 22 Jun
The Curtain
A diverse and vital line-up of live electronic acts comes to the capital, featuring hugely exciting Egyptian producer Rozzma rubbing up against Berlin-based Nigerian vocalist and songwriter Wayne Snow and Franco-Japanese ‘jazztronica’ duo Kodäma.
Contemporary Music
Origami – Satchie Noro & Silvain Ohl
Fri 22 - Sat 30 Jun
Birmingham & London
Inspired by the Japanese art of paper folding, this is a 'hold your breath' spectacle seeing the unlikely pairing of a monumental shipping container and a gravity-defying dancer.
Performing Arts
Pyramidion Twin: Light Up a Pyramid
Sat 23 Jun - Wed 15 Aug
In front of Trinity House - London
Created by the French artist and engineer Milène Guermont, Pyramidion Twin is an interactive sculpture of golden metal & light measuring 4 m in height.Thanks to its connected cardiac sensors, the luminous pyramid will light up to your own heartbeat! As part of the London Festival of Architecture.
Visual Arts
7th East London Comics & Arts Festival
Sun 24 Jun
The Talks Marquee
In its 7th year, ELCAF’s features talks, screenings and workshops led by different artists from across the UK and beyond! Paris-based artist Sammy Stein will present his drawing and publishing practises on his ongoing project, La Bohème.
Talks, Visual Arts
Papooz
Wed 27 Jun
The Scala
Based around the duo of Ulysse Cottin and Armand Penicaut, Papooz pair jangly guitars with brisk, danceable rhythms and an uncanny knack for memorable hooks. UK audiences have been steadily catching on to the catchy likes of Anne Wants To Dance.
Contemporary Music
Charles Aznavour
Sat 30 Jun
Royal Albert Hall
Legendary singer-songwriter Charles Aznavour globally known for hits such as She, The Old Fashioned Way and Yesterday When I Was Young returns to the Royal Albert Hall on 30th June. This will be the ONLY UK show – don’t miss out!
Contemporary Music
Quatuors en fusion: Quatuor Tana
Thu 5 Jul
Wigmore Hall
French Quatuor Tana performs a new work by the young British composer Edwin Hillier. Supported by Diaphonique fund in 2017, the project engages the spectator to an active listening process across an exploration of the instruments without any barriers.
Classical Music
Ensemble Variances & Thierry Pécou
Wed 11 Jul
Wigmore Hall
Ensemble Variances embarks the audience on a new trip through a programme featuring works from Debussy, Mâche, Szymanowski and Takemitsu. Don't miss the UK Premiere of Thierry Pécou’s work Méditation.
Classical Music
Lovebox
Fri 13 - Sat 14 Jul
Gunnersbury Park
Two of the brightest and fastest-rising names in the French scene - Afro-Trap pioneer MHD and sensitive electronic duo The Blaze - will be appearing at the Lovebox festival, which this year takes place at its new location of Gunnersbury Park.
Contemporary Music
Marcel Cara
Fri 13 Jul
British Museum
In the framework of the exhibition Rodin and the Art of Ancient Greece at the British Museum, French harpist Marcel Cara will perform Fauré, Debussy, Grandjany and Renié.
Classical Music
Mohamed Bouroussia at Liverpool Biennial
Sat 14 Jul - Sun 28 Oct
FACT - Liverpool
Bourouissa’s artworks explore power relations, displays of masculinity and societal tensions. For Liverpool Biennial, Mohamed Bourouissa created a film and a community garden inspired by a garden made by a patient of the psychoanalyst Frantz Fanon in Algeria.
Visual Arts
Oui Love #6
Wed 18 Jul
Archspace
The club night dedicated to showcasing the best emerging French artists returns in a new location and with a glamorous, summery double bill - Lucien & The Kimono Orchestra's cinematic electronic funk alongside Bon Voyage Organisation's lush disco grooves.
Contemporary Music
Bertrand Chamayou
Fri 20 Jul
Royal Albert Hall
For the BBC Proms, world-famous pianist Bertrand Chamayou performs Mendelssohn’s precocious First Piano Concerto featuring a programme including Schumann’s Fourth Symphony and works by Lili Boulanger and Morfydd Owen.
Classical Music
Talking Transformations: Home on the Move
Thu 26 Jul - Sun 7 Oct
Southbank Centre
This exhibition of European artist films, sound art and poetry in translation is the result of a journey undertaken by two poems about ‘home’ by Deryn Rees-Jones (UK) and Rafał Gawin (Poland). It will include an additional artwork by French artist Elise Aru.
Talks, Visual Arts
The Barber of Seville
Sun 5 - Wed 8 Aug
Edinburgh International Festival
A new production of Gioachino Rossini's comic opera that brings a refreshing immediacy to this irresistible masterpiece. French musical pioneer Jérémie Rhorer will conduct his orchestra Le Cercle de l’Harmonie for this new production.
Classical Music, Performing Arts
The Beggar’s Opera
Thu 16 - Sun 19 Aug
Edinburgh International Festival
John Gay’s 18th-century opera is brought into the modern day in this brand new production from Paris’s Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, created by William Christie and Robert Carsen, two commanding figures of the international stage.
Classical Music, Performing Arts
Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Mon 20 - Fri 24 Aug
Edinburgh International Festival
Artist in residence at this year's festival, the acclaimed French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard will interpret three concerts with a special focus on the work of Messiaen.
Classical Music
La Cenerentola – Rossini
Fri 24 - Sun 26 Aug
Edinburgh International Festival
A visually stunning staged production of Rossini’s opera. The classic tale of Cinderella is radically transformed by renowned director Stefan Herheim with music by an exuberant Opéra de Lyon Orchestra.
Classical Music, Performing Arts
Francis Cabrel
Tue 16 Oct
Royal Albert Hall
Francis Cabrel’s music has brought audiences joy for forty years and now in 2018 the legendary French artist performs live at the Royal Albert Hall! Don’t miss this special event featuring Cabrel’s classic and influential hits.
Contemporary Music
Nana Mouskouri – Forever Young
Wed 17 Oct
Southbank Centre
One of the most successful female artists of all time, the legendary chanson singer Nana MouskouriI, known for hits such as The White Rose of Athens and Only Love will be returning to London for a unique show.
Contemporary Music
Christine and the Queens
Wed 21 Nov
Eventim Apollo
One of the dates announced sold out almost immediately, so another has been added for the French star's return to the UK following her stratospheric success in 2016. A new album is on the way too, so there will be new tracks amid the firm favourites.
Contemporary Music
France Now – Focus on French Theatre in Manchester
Tue 27 Nov - Sat 1 Dec
HOME Manchester
With its focus France Now, HOME presents three contrasting performances from the best of the French artistic contemporary scene: Ballet Bar by the Pyramid company, J'ai trop peur (I'm so scared) by David Lescot and Submission by Michel Houellebecq.
Performing Arts
Notre-Dame de Paris
Wed 23 - Tue 29 Jan
London Coliseum
After touring in 23 countries worldwide over the last 20 years, the smash-hit French musical based on the novel Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo returns to London with an international team of singers, dancers, acrobats and music composed by Richard Cocciante.
Performing Arts