Adelaide Festival Centre's Adelaide French Festival Starts 1/11

A three-day celebration of all things French, from fashion and food, to music and theatre, begins today for Adelaide Festival Centre's Adelaide French Festival.

The enticing program features two world premieres, and more than 20 exclusives especially for Adelaide French Festival (January 11-13).

This year, the festival will shine a spotlight on the beautiful French region of Brittany, with a range of musicians, artists, designers and chefs showcasing the region's rich and unique culture.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM said: "This is Adelaide Festival Centre's second Adelaide French Festival and we are thrilled with the 2019 program. As Australia's leading multi-arts French festival, there is something for everyone. We have enticed some wonderful French artists to Adelaide and are proud to present a number of exclusive performances. We hope everyone makes the most of this offering of French art and culture including the many free family activities over the weekend."

French Ambassador to Australia Christophe Penot said the festival is a wonderful opportunity to further strengthen ties between the two countries: "Adelaide French Festival was a great success last year, and we are very happy to continue to support it, and work with Adelaide Festival Centre to bring the best of France to Australia. It's a fantastic avenue of promoting our culture and sharing our mutual love of the arts."

The festival kicks off at 4pm today with So Frenchy So Chic, a French pop garden party at Pinky Flat featuring an all-female line up of Camille, Yelle, Clara Luciani and Clea Vincent.

In all, close to 70 International Artists will be part of the 2019 festival, together with more than 60 Australian artists, across the three days which kicks off on Friday and runs until Sunday evening:

• Bon Vivant - Breton chef Nathalie Beavuais from Le Jardin Gourmand will create an authentic French seafood dinner showcasing the flavors of Brittany exclusively for the festival.

• Le Salon - revisit the glory of the 18th century through a tantalizing combination of cheese, chocolate, champagne and opera (sold out).

• Sonic Seasoning - Adelaide's Zephyr Quartet are teaming up with The Smelly Cheese Shop for a sensory experience, pairing cheese, wine and music to explore if melody can enhance taste, in an intimate setting on the Dunstan Playhouse stage (sold out).

• Australian exclusive, Monchichi, a stunning piece of dance about love and life by French contemporary dance company Company Wang Ramierz .

• Les Plaisirs Music of the French Baroque - performed by Adelaide Baroque Orchestra and directed by Ben Dollman.

• The Piping Shrike Brass Band - featuring Adelaide's award winning Adam Page and band performing interpretations of French music hits from Piaf to Daft Punk

• Breton fashion designer Pascal Jaouen presents his stunning embroidery collections for the first time in Australia, detailing the patterns and motifs of his native Brittany in an exhibition especially for Adelaide French Festival (free event).

• Australian exclusive contemporary photographic exhibition Bretonnes by French artist Charles Freger featuring a stunning series of the generations of females, wearing the costumes and headdresses of the region of Brittany (free event).

• L'Apres-Midi D'un Foehn - a poetic and mesmerizing children's theatre work, where ordinary plastic bags are brought to life by a mysterious ballet master as they swirl on currents of air by French Company Non Nova

• Australian exclusive presentations for young children and families - Breton music artist Jesse Lucas' show Reverie takes toddlers and their parents on a sonic journey and Lumieres is an interactive music work by Ellie James performing a live soundtrack to film.

• Australian premiere of moving image video works by Breton video artists Sylvie Ungauer, Thomas Daveluy, and Marcel Dinahet.

• A Trip to the Moon - following a sold-out performance in 2018, The Zeitgeist Orchestra, drummer Jarrad Payne and jazz violinist Julian Ferraretto return by popular demand perform to a selection of Melies films.

• Masterclasses including creating your own French perfume, learning about French cognacs, the art of French seduction and more.

• Free family activities on the Riverdeck including music, Boxwars where children create and destroy their own cardboard Napoleonic empire, Little Picassos, Flower Crowns and more!

Win a trip to Brittany! This year, Adelaide French Festival is offering audiences the chance to win a trip to Brittany to continue to indulge in all the beautiful region has to offer. Further details can be found at www.adelaidefrenchfestival.com.au