"Zadig ou la destinée" will be performed on
Tuesday November 3 and Thursday November 5 at 1:15 pm in 205 Humanities
Question: What do star-crossed lovers, a jealous and violent king, a pair of super villains, a debauched bandit leader, corrupt high priests and an adoring crowd have in common?
Answer: they all feature in the play entitled "Zadig ou la destinée" to be performed in French by students on the Belknap campus of the University of Louisville. The one-act play is a modern adaptation of the celebrated short story written in the eighteenth century by Voltaire—author of "Candide" and a major figure in the French Enlightenment. Written in 1749 and playing on the success of the "Arabian Nights", "Zadig" tells the story of a young man who seems to have everything: good looks, charm, wealth, popularity and the post of Grand Vizir (or Chief Minister) to the King of Babylon. Events prove that fate is a fickle mistress as everything starts to go wrong for him. How will he cope with adversity? What will the future hold for him? These questions and more are answered as Voltaire meditates on issues of fate, the human condition and sex appeal--and all with his masterful comedic touch.
"Zadig ou la destinée" will be performed on Tuesday November 3 and Thursday November 5 at 1:15 pm in 205 Humanities. These performances are free and open to the public. Parking is available in the visitor lots on the Belknap Campus. The performance will run for a total of forty minutes. The play involves a good deal of physical theatre and was selected to appeal to both an audience of native speakers and beginning language learners, so come and share the magical world of Voltaire with
us! The performances are scheduled to be a part of National French Week, a celebration of French language and culture in the United States.
For further information, please feel free to contact Dr. John Greene (Director),
"Zadig ou la destinée"
tel: (502) 852-0496
jpgreene (@) louisville.edu