Believe It Or Not - More Tango

And Paris Does Halloween!

Paris:- Saturday, 24. October 1998:- According to the city of Paris, Halloween is definitely Celtic in origin - although what Celts have to do with Paris beyond all the Irish pubs everywhere and the Breton bars around Montparnasse, I don't know.

Paris does have its kids though, so there are two locations for them. The first is the Parc Floral and the 2nd edition of 'Si On Jouait...' which is a toy salon with lots of bonbons. It features ateliers for making costumes and masks and a grand parade. Events take place from Saturday, 28. October until Sunday, 1. November. From 10:00 to 18:30, in the Parc Floral, in the Bois de Vincennes, Paris 12.

At the other end of the city, in the Jardin d'Acclimatation, kids can see the 'Danse des Citrouilles,' as well as take part in the ateliers for disguises, mask-making, decoration, a hunt for treasures and a 'Bal des Vampires,' which is not just for kids. From Monday, 26. October until Saturday, 31. October. Info. Tel.: 01 40 67 90 82. At the Jardin d'Acclimatation; métro: Neuilly-Sablons.

For bigger kids: 3,000 are expected to show up at a big Halloween bal organized by the Grandes Ecoles at the Espace Congrès les Esselières at Villejuif, near the Porte de l'Italie. The students of the Grands Ecoles are notorious party organizers so this one will not be for the faint-hearted. Blast-off is at 22:00 after paying an entry of 100 francs. Call for info: 01 46 68 62 41, mornings only.

Otherwise known as 'Bourdelle et Ses Elèves,' this show presents the works of some of Bourdelle's students; Alberto Giacometti, Germaine Richier and Otto Gutfreund. Bourdelle gave courses from 1909 until his death in 1929, at the Academie de la Grand Chaumière - Montparnasse's most famous art school in the '20's.

Unlike the Beaux-Arts, Bourdelle taught free-thinking and invention, telling his students to do anything but copy him. This worked for Bordelle and his students, many of whom became famous as artists. Works presented show the results of Bourdelle's teaching, which gave a new elan to sculpture.

Musée Bourdelle
18. rue Antoine-Bourdelle, Paris 15. Métro: Montparnasse or Falguière. Starting Tuesday; until 7. February 1999. Open from 10:00 to 17:40 daily except Mondays. Info. Tel.: 01 49 54 73 73.

The Bombay-born British sculptor, Anish Kapoor, is not well-known in France, but currently has two exhibitions running; one in Paris and the other in Bordeaux. In an interview with Libération there is talk of an original vacuum... which I can't quite follow, so you should go to the chapel at Saint-Louis de la Salpêtrière, at 42. boulevard de l'Hôpital, Paris 13, to see it soon - the last chance is Sunday, 1. November. Now that I've found the brochure, I can say this is worth seeing. Info. Tel.: 01 53 45 17 00.

This is an exhibition within the all-over 'Festival d'Automne' which I have not forgotten to mention, but just didn't get around to it - as it is - was - a bunch of micro-events.

Working artisans may be fewer but they are still alive and well in Paris today. This is an exhibition where the items on show are on sale. See furniture, lamps, costume jewelry, fashion accessories, table arts and other items - but for a short time only: from Thursday, 29. October until Sunday, 1. November.

Espace des Blancs-Manteaux
48. rue Vielle-du-Temple, Paris 4. Métro: Hôtel de Ville. Open from 11:00 to 20:00. Info/ Tel.: 01 53 33 53 18.

In addition to mentioning the opening of a new exhibition room - 'Les Hommes et Leur Cadre de Vie à la Fin du Moyen Age' - this is a general reminder of this museum. In addition to casual visits, the museum has a wide selection of guided visits, conferences and theme visits, for both individuals and groups. There are ateliers for kids as well.

Musée National du Moyen Age - Thermes and Hôtel de Cluny
6. place Paul-Painlevé, Paris 5. Métro: Cluny-La Sorbonne. Open daily except Tuesdays, from 9:15 to 17:15. Closed 25. December and 1. January 1999. Early closing at 16:00 on 23. December and 31. December. Best times for casual visits are between noon and 14:00 and after 15:30. The library is open until 18:00. Info. Tel.: 01 53 73 78 16.

No detailed information on this one, other than the keywords: conservation, restoration and restitution. Daily from 10:00 to 19:00, from Thursday, 5. November to Sunday, 8. November. In the Carrousel du Louvre, Paris 1. Métro: Palais-Royal. Info. Tel.: 01 49 53 27 00.

Paris' 100 Years of Tango has suddenly caught the attention of Le Parisien, which devoted two pages to it in its edition today. According the their 'history,' the Tango was the original 'dirty dancing' - while decorously performed in the elegant cafés of the Grands Boulevards, the flics were on the lookout for it as it was - obscenely performed - in Montmartre cabarets.

Unlike disco, techno, rap - dancers actually touch each other; but there is a difference of opinion to the extent of this - so there are two distinct schools of tango. It probably takes very careful observation to tell the difference.

So-called 'modern-dancing' competitions, which sometimes run endlessly on TV, borrow something from tango and a lot from athletics. I for one, would like to see real tango, but I would like to see it with sober camera-work - rather than the flash images which ape MTV music-clips.

These are different days and the tango itself may not be of prurient interest to anybody except millions of tango fanciers, but it is no less relevant because Paris is gripped in an increasing craze - no, mad delirium! - of Latin dancing. On 13. October, a new TV-cable channel started up as 'Solo Tango.'

The source for my original information wrote, "Many people may not be aware of the connections between Tango and Paris, or that Carlos Gardel - the 'Caruso' of tango - was born in Toulouse; immigrated with his mother at age four to Argentina, and returned in 'triumph' at the height of his career, to Paris."

Here is the fourth week's program, starting with Monday:

Monday, 26. October: at 20:30. This week of tango starts with 'Le Blues de Buenos Aires,' but according to the notes I have there is no address for the location. There will also be a poetry recital by Eve Griliquez, with the musician and singers of 'Loup du Faubourg .' Take a chance and phone the Espace Kiron, for information.
At the Espace Kiron, 10. rue de la Vacquerie, Paris 11. Métro: Voltaire. Info. Tel.: 01 44 64 11 50.

Tuesday, 27. October: from 19:00 to 22:00; Cinema-Gardel night: two fictional movies about Gardel, both in Spanish. 'Ecos del Silencio' by Pablo Rodriguez and 'El Dia Que Me Quieras' by Sergio Dow; both released in 1980.
At the Institut Finlandais, 60. rue des Ecoles, Paris 5. Info. Tel.: 0140 51 89 09.

Wednesday, 28. October: from 19:00 to 22:00; documentary cinema-Tango night: 'Tango Mio' by Jana Bokova is followed by a debate, 'Le Tango de Buenos Aires à Helsinki,' with the participation of Kimmo Pasanen, director of the Institut Finlandais, and Nardo Zalko and Juan Carlos Caceres. With extracts from films and from recordings of Finnish tango music.
At the Institut Finlandais, 60. rue des Ecoles, Paris 5. Info. Tel.: 0140 51 89 09.

Thursday, 29. October: at 21:00: Carlos Saura will be present the national pre-premiere showing of his new film, 'Tango.' Music is by Lalo Schiffrin and cinematography is by Victorio Storaro. This film was awarded a prize at this year's Cannes Festival. This evening, within the framework of 'Thursdays at the Institut Arabe,' is sponsored by the Mairie de Paris, together with the IMA. By invitation only.

Friday, 30. October: at 20:00; 'Le Bandonion' - liturgical music of the tango. Concert by Klaus Gutjar.
At the Goethe Institute, 17. avenue d'Iena, Paris 16. No entry charge. Info. Tel.: 01 44 43 92 30.

Saturday, 31. October: 20:30; 'Patio de Tango' is a dance spectacle with music, with Carmen and Victor. If hunger strikes, the menu is Argentinean and I assume this means beef and not salad.
At the Webbar, 32. rue de Picardie, Paris 3. Métro stop: either Temple or République.

Sunday, 1. November: at 20:30; showing of the film 'Tangos, Ecos del Silencio.'
For this one I have no location. Please call Claude Namer at 01 48 87 74 23 for information.

Next week's program starts with two nights of concerts, followed by a tango cabaret. A big date is Thursday, 5. November, with an evening called 'Airs Arabes de Tango' at the Institut du Monde Arabe. Phone 01 40 51 38 38 to order tickets. Saturday, 7. November will see 12 hours of non-stop tango at the Le Latina cinema, as a final send-off to this 35-day happy-toes event.

For more information, call Claude Namer at 01 48 87 74 23 or fax to: 01 48 87 66 50. Details of the last week of the program continue here next week.

This annual event kicks off late this month, starting with Edmond Bacot and Olivier Mériel's photos of Victor Hugo, which can be seen starting Tuesday, 27. October, at the Maison de Victor Hugo in the Place des Vosges. Two days later, 'Ceci est Paris' starts in the city's own home of cultural affairs, at their hôtel at 31. rue des Francs-Bourgeois in the fourth.

Altogether, during November there will be 79 photo exhibitions at 61 locations around Paris. This will not be entirely 'Paris-in-love- with-itself' - there will also be photos of old Moscow, and an exhibition of Soviet views of themselves from 1917 to 1981.

The Big Shows

Paris' Italian autumn has already started, with Tiepolo in the Petit Palais - see this issue's 'Café' column - and with paintings by Tintoretto. Thirteen are on loan from Venice and the others from French collections. These are being displayed in the Salle des Fêtes in the Mairie of the 5th. At 21. place du Panthéon, Paris 5. Until Wednesday, 13. December. Open Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 17:45 and on Sundays and holidays from 14:00 to 17:45. Info. Tel.: 01 43 29 21 75.