Please join the Alliance Française and other French organizations for this very special day. 

Friday, July 12, 2024 at 11:00 am, until  noon.
CITY HALL
This event is free and open to everyone

 Welcome 
Opening Remarks - Marine Havel - Honorary Consul Of France In Philadelphia And Wilmington 
Cultural Presentation - The Philaflam Children
City Proclamation Presentation From City Representative 
United States National Anthem & France National Anthem : Jessie Nguenang and Mo El Zein
Closing Remarks
Photo Opportunities


French organizations in Philadelphia: The French International School (EFIP), The French American Chamber of Commerce (FACC), Philadelphie Accueil, French Heritage Society, French Benevolent Society, Le Centre Francophone, Alliance Française de Philadelphie,  PhilaFLAM, Philadelphia French connection.

*** WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW *** A SAVOIR ***

• Day: Friday, July 12
• Time : 11:00 am 
• Duration : 1 hour 
• Location : Philadelphia City Hall, 1400 John F Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19107
• Language : French and English
• Free access for all

    The soprano Jessie Nguenang is a French native and an American citizen hailing from Lyon. Under the tutelage of famed mezzo-soprano Dolora    Zajick, Jessie performed the final act of Aida at the selective Institute for Dramatic voices in Reno, Nevada. She did extensive concert work including solo appearances at Philadelphia’s Kimmel center for the Performing arts and recitals. Some of her performing work include the Four last songs of Richard Strauss, the Brahms’s Requiem... In 2014, she graduated from the international Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia where she successfully performed the rôle of Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte in which was said in the Philadelphia Inquirer « Nguenang navigated Fiordiligi’s wide ranging arias with particular artistry ». Prior to AVA, Jessie was a scholarship récipient at the New England Conservatory in Boston which she attended for voice performance. In Lyon after the Conservatory, she was selected as a résident artist singer at the Professional International Young artist program of Opera de Lyon where she performed at the Puccini Festival. Furthermore Jessie had the opportunity to perform the lead rôle of Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus at the Marseille and Avignon opéra houses. Her opéra de Lyon début was in 2010 as Lilly in Porgy and Bess, a rôle she reprised at the Edingburgh Festival also in 2010. Other than opera, Jessie has a unique early music training in the recorder, harpsichord, basso continuo, and the renaissance lute at the Superior Conservatoire de Lyon and the Conservatoire de Tours.

Lebanese American tenor Mo El Zein has sung lead roles in operas and concerts around the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. He is an alumni of the world prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts Philadelphia. Mo has sung the roles of Luigi in Puccini’s “Il Tabarro” and Riccardo in Verdi’s “Oberto” at the Kimmel Center of the Performing Arts in Philadelphia. He also sang the title role of King Gustavo in Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera”. Active on the summer festival scene, he sang Pinkerton in “Madama Butterfly” at both Opera North and the Illinois Opera Theater, and two lead Mozart roles in two summer opera festivals in Salzburg, Austria as well as a series of Verdi highlight concerts and Italian song series in Urbino and Pesaro in the “Le Marché” region of Italy as well as in Napoli and Ischia in “Campagna”. He performed at the renowned Crested Butte music festival in Colorado with the former music director of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden where he sang entire acts of “Tosca“ as Cavaradossi, “Carmen” as Don Jose, and covered Rodolfo in Puccini’s “La Bohème”. Mo reprised his role of Don Jose with the Ocean City Symphony in New Jersey. In the Middle East, he was the tenor soloist in Puccini’s oratorio “Messa di Gloria” with the Cairo Symphony and was a featured tenor soloist with the Lebanese National Orchestra in Beirut on their national Christmas concert to high acclaim and reviews. Very comfortable with the works of Giuseppe Verdi, Mo also has a strong affinity and connection to the Neapolitan art songs of southern Italy, including Paolo Tosti’s works and has sung such works on the concert stages, including a featured concert at Vero Beach Opera and the Sarasota Opera. He also has a home and family in France, a country and culture he has special affinity for and considers it home as well.