A small Shakespearean drama is the top National Conservatory of Dramatic Art (CNSAD) in Paris flagship theater schools in France. In late January, students in three classes, the overwhelming majority (93 of 99 signatories), sent to the Minister of Culture, Aur??lie Filippetti a letter to complain about the direction of Daniel Mesguich.
The approach, unique, place in a particular context: the second term of Daniel Mesguich, appointed head of the Conservatory in November 2007, expires in November 2013. The department must decide whether to appoint a new director, or reappoint Mr. Mesguich.
“We felt it necessary to bring to your attention dysfunctions affecting governance CNSAD and arouse our concern,” write the students. They say to have reached this step after trying in vain to talk through their representatives with management.
The signatories criticized mainly Daniel Mesguich have “out of touch” the “most selective school drama of France.” “Today’s Conservatory is very suspicious vis-??-vis the French contemporary productions? Ease. Past several years, students encounter fewer outsiders. (…) On the other hand, the current project CNSAD underestimate the wealth of European theater and beyond, and does not work to enter our training in artistic issues beyond the confines of the school, “they continue.
“We do not denigrate the quality of teaching or coaching that is offered us through these points, we say that, despite the innovations that have been made, its current organization makes the conservatory a place outside time and closed on itself “, said the students. They sought an appointment with the Office of the Minister of Culture, “to expose more precisely [their] position.”
Monday, February 18 evening, Daniel Mesguich responded to “his” students in a letter of twenty pages. First, he believes that the signatories have committed “serious misconduct” by sending the minister, “it should be called a letter of denunciation.” He denounced the “rhetoric of inconsistency, infringement or of folly which is woven the text” before expressing his “dismay” the face of such a sling.
He says that “those” [protesters] “do [him] ever asked the shadow of an appointment” and that “they preferred to go to what they imagined to be the action there betraying the trust that was given to them “before substantive response to the criticisms made by the students.
“‘The Conservatory gradually World Cup.’ Uh, no, I do not think, writes Mesguich. I do not believe, first, that cross as you do all the ‘disciplines’, all directories, accompanied by some of the best professors Drama France, progressively World Cup. “I even think, yes, I would even believe, see my impudence, the opposite. I confess that I do not like how you tried to submit my report to the” foreign. ‘It is even for me, and frankly nauseating to say the least offensive, “says Daniel Mesguich, before detailing its conception of what should be a school like the Academy, its constraints and tradition.
At school, person, or among students or among teachers – who, for the most part, are indeed artists who have an excellent reputation – does not wish to speak directly. Some of these teachers – Gerard Desarthe, Eloi Recoing Robin Renucci … – Have published Tuesday, February 19, a statement in which they expressed their “total disagreement with the approach taken by the students.” They renew their “trust” to Daniel Mesguich “to quickly continue the dialogue with the students.”
Other teachers, equally compelling, as the actresses Nada Strancar and Dominique Valadi??, did not sign the statement. The Ministry, Michel Orier, CEO of artistic action, said “very attentive” to the crisis at the Conservatory. “It’s still not a trivial process, he observed. Students will re? Us in the coming days, and listened, and Daniel Mesguich and teachers.” To be continued.
Read also: the testimonies of students CNSAD.
The website of the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art: www.cnsad.fr.









