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NICE CARNIVAL / CARNIVAL OF NICE
Nice France : the city of French Carnival
 The Sixties
In the neighbourhood of the 60s, the official song of Carnival disappears, sixties, rock and roll groups, Beatles break out on Europe, the airs of carnival go out of fashion, the disguised hang up their dominoes, the "sound system" replaces the last orchestras, a musical ditch racks itself between the generations. Goodbye the urban popular festival, goodbye May festivals and the enjoyment in districts, it is the jazz in Saint Germain des Prés or in the pine forest of Juan-les-Pins!
The traditional popular festival remains in the hinterland, with the sound of ciamada and farandoles taken by "Giblets", Abbots of the Youth. One of the quite last official songs of Carnival dates 1959, written by the brilliant composer of Nice, Toni Rainaud, was inspired by the samba which triumphed in Rio and composed one very tonic samba of Nice " Bim-Bam-Boum ", " Carnival ès in la Luna ", subject which honoured the first cosmonauts and the astronauts of the space. In spite of some attempts " of presenters of the festival ", not always made a success, during the years 70-80, to boost it, the song of the Carnival sinks into oubliettes. The interest of the music on corsi during this period comes especially of the quality of the musical groups - brass bands, European pipe bands or orchestras of the VI-th fleet of the USA - which participated in the parades.
In 1984, on the occasion of the Centenary of Carnival, the City of Nice, within the framework of the Brazilian Festival organized in July, receives an authentic school of samba from Rio with 100 dancers and musicians, Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel, who obtains a triumph by marching in the battle of flowers. |
The Revival of the 90s
From 1987 till 1990, the creation of the broadcast of television " Carnivals of Carnivals ", propels Nice as the most important international meeting point of the Carnivals of the world, with the presence of excellent grotesque groups which make us discover their music and the wealth or the dynamism of their carnival. It is the case of Tenerife (in the Canarian Islands); it is the passage of the Argentine carnival of Corrientes, that cast a spell on us with its music of chamame and candombe. It is Rio's fervent samba, with the presence of most prestigious schools of samba, it is Bahia, Gilberto Gil and Jorge and Zelia Amado. We discovered the music of " steel-band ", these famous groups of Trinidad's calypso which resound also in the West Indian carnival of Notting Hall, in London. We welcomed, one of most brilliant plastic artists of Notting Hill carnival Clary Salendy, at whom the gigantic suits (of large-scale 7 metres) amazed more than an Inhabitant of Nice.
" Rap of Nice " (on rhythms of ragga muffin) and the electronic music make brilliant an entrance in the parade of Nice, in homage to Her Majesty Carnival 1993. Indeed, the float of the Ratapignata de Ben, will be stimulated with airs of rap of Nice, by Louis Pastorelli, whereas Madam Europe will benefit from a sound system specially conceived for Masquerade, by the musicians Martin Chevalier and Henri Manini, in which, one will perceive as well the traditional sounds of Petadou as the European hymn. |
Musics of the world
Brass bands. Cliques (pipe bands), foreign musics from the four corners of the world, bring every year, their rhythms, their joyful, lively marches, in a festival of conviviality, where cultures and traditions mix cheerfully, in knocks of confettis, bunches of flowers or peaceful grimaces and delirious rhythms.
With the cooperation of groups, cliques (pipe bands), brass bands, Bersaglieri, Marching-band, come from the whole world (the United States, Japan, Africa, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Tenerife, Spain, Italy, Rumania, Denmark, Netherlands). These groups participate in all the grotesque parades and battles of flowers and in the animations of districts.
Concerts of official reception are also given by the best groups in the evening after the parades. |
The illuminations
The illuminations of Nice during the period of the Carnival, are particularly beautiful and unique in the World. Indeed, Nice can glorify to offer the Inhabitants of Nice and the tourists, most important and original brilliant decorations of all the Carnivals of the World: magnificent work, since 1921! The big parade of floats and the big heads in pasteboard of the Carnival of Nice.
During the whole period of the Carnival, Place Masséna is transformed into magic decoration, which has nothing to envy Hollyvood: 500 m. of panels of 9 m. of height (even 15 m. for the central panel).
Every evening, 150 000 lamps of 15 watts, hand coloured, supported by 100 km of cable! Flash around you, irradiate you and plunge you in the heart of an universe of " brilliant supernatural ". They provoke admiration of all the privileged of this unforgettable spectacle. who goes on Jean Médecin Avenue.
This decoration presents another S. M's face. Carnival, person with multiple facets the unconscious of which throws on the facades of the Place Masséna and the Avenue Jean Médecin the prismatic brightness of its glistening laughter.
Executed by Guillot Électricité Company, the drawings of the illuminations are the work of too much underestimated and very talented artists, as Damien Lanfranchi from 1970 till 1981 or Patrick Galdéano since.
It is Patrick Galdeano who conceives and paints decorations, on more than hundred plywood panels representing a surface of 120 000 m2.
The illuminations are inextricable of the grotesque decoration, and they aroused the surprise and the admiration of the Brazilian carnavaliers, nevertheless very chauvinistic on their Carnival. |
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