Briony enthrals her way to Paris

First port of call should be the Alliance Francaise in Harare or Bul-awayo where the French language lessons and wide range of cultural activities on offer will introduce you to a new way of looking at language and cultural diversities, help you create new friendships and provide opportunities for foreign travel.
The aims of the International Organisa-tion of La Francop-honie, instituted in 1970, are to “promote the French language, peace and sustainable development”. Of 200 million French speakers worldwide, 96,2 million of these reside in Africa. Little wonder then that Charles Houdart, director of the Alliance Francaise, and the organisers and sponsors of the recently ended Francophonie Week in Zimbabwe, put such an effort into this exciting and stimulating event.
A popular week-long film festival was screened at the Alliance Francaise, and at Jean de la Fontaine, The French School, a dictation competition attracted many competitors. Last Friday, at the grande finale, the hugely popular music contest sponsored by Nestle, “Sing Your Way to Paris”, took place on an outside stage at the Alliance Francaise in Harare. After 12 finalists sang their hearts out to an ecstatic crowd, a distinguished panel of judges including local artistes Dudu Manhenga, Victor Kunonga and Stunner, King of Urban Grooves, was tasked with choosing a winner.
Homeboy, Comrade Fatso, introduced himself as master of ceremonies, and welcomed contestants from numerous local schools, including Watershed College, the only institution to enter a male competitor, Takunda Rukanda. In-between the performances of each immaculately coiffed and attired songbird, the MC kept the audience engaged and amused. After a year studying the French language in Montpellier, Fatso has exchanged his “dreads” for a cropped nouvelle vague style, perfectly in tune with his ready wit and sometimes acerbic comments.
Teachers, parents, siblings and friends were spellbound as talent from Speciss College, Chisipite, Prince Edward, The Dominican Convent, St John’s College, Guinness College and the Alliance Francaise took the stage. In the distant background pawpaw and mango trees, clumps of bamboo, wood smoke and out buildings with satellite dishes, faded into oblivion as the sweet sounds of French love songs and operetta captured the audience.
While the judges deliberated, French songwriter, Patrick Lupi, and his band provided a short concert and yet more sophisticated entertainment for an appreciative audience.
When Briony Pasipanodya was declared the winner of the “Sing Your Way to Paris” contest, the St John’s College schoolgirl was overjoyed. Her rendition of French Canadian Celine Dion’s On Ne Change Pas won over the judges and guaranteed her a two-week trip to the beautiful city of Paris. Briony, who is passionate about music, is an International Baccalaureate Diploma student at St John’s College in Harare, where she performs in school plays and sings solo. Registered in 2002 as the first IB Centre in Zimbabwe, St John’s has produced many outstanding students.
Ex-Convent schoolgirl Tina Masawi came second with the beautifully melancholic Plaisir d’Amour, while Takunda Rukanda, who must be destined for a career on stage, was awarded third place with his piece from the operetta Le Premier Jour de Mai.
Meanwhile, the China Francop-hone festival, featuring concerts, films, art exhibitions and talks about French culture, ends today. Given the success of this year’s Semaine de la Francophonie (Francophonie Week) in Zimbabwe, the pressure is on Houdart and his able lieutenant, Jennie Loiseau, to broaden the scope of next year’s festival.