From the matriarch of exploratory French theater comes a truly visionary play that, at its root, asks life’s ultimate question: What would you do if the end of the world were imminent? With Les Éphémères, based not on text but on the ordinary circumstances of our everyday lives, the brilliant and widely influential director Ariane Mnouchkine once again delves into the core of our sensibilities. Mnouchkine’s theater collective, Le Théâtre du Soleil, explores personal stories of pain and compassion in episodes that reflect our common experiences to find meaning in the mundane. Mnouchkine recreates her famed Cartoucherie performance space in the historic Park Avenue Armory, a theatrical surround self-described as an “autopsy room” for this remarkable work. Presented in two parts that can be viewed individually or in a full cycle, Les Éphémères is a tour-de-force that transcends theater and pulls back the curtain on our own lives to reveal the familiar memories that haunt us and the hope that we share. US Premiere Director Ariane Mnouchkine Created collectively by Le Théâtre du Soleil Music Jean-Jacques Lemêtre Performed in French with English supertitles This performance is approximately three hours and twenty minutes with one intermission.

Artist Talk with Ariane Mnouchkine, director of Les Éphémères
Friday, July 17 at 5:00 p.m.

Hear the brilliant and legendary Ariane Mnouchkine discuss the making and meaning of her epic masterpiece, Les Éphémères, presented by Lincoln Center Festival in association with Park Avenue Armory. The production, lauded by The New York Times as “sublime” and “exemplary,” consists of vignettes that reveal poignant moments in life that define us as individuals.

Mnouchkine’s avant-garde theater collective, Le Théâtre du Soleil, was founded in 1964 and presents its works in unconventional settings. The entire company collaborates in the creation of works, and the company’s innovative staging often redefines the typical separation between the audience and the actors. A theater icon for nearly 50 years, Mnouchkine is the former Chair of Artistic Creation at the Collège de France, and an Honorary Doctor of Letters at the University of Oxford. Among her many honors is a special Lion d’Or for life achievement presented at the 39th International Theatre Festival in Venice. In addition, the Ibsen Museum in Oslo recently awarded Mnouchkine the International Ibsen Award for her singular contribution to popular theater.