Michel Sarda

Michel Sarda is a writer and photographer who published several photo essay books.

Early life

Michel Sarda was born (1942) and raised in Paris. He was trained as an architect at the Paris Ecole des Beaux-Arts, graduating first in a class of 1500Fact|date=June 2007.

Professional life

Architect

Sarda started an architectural company in 1969. In 1984, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and in 1989 he launched a new career as author, photographer and publisher.

Author

Under the imprint of Bridgewood Press [ [www.bridgewoodpress.com] ] Sarda published popular photo-essay books on Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe entitled the "Valley of the Sun" series. Later he published a similar book focused on the Greater Phoenix communities. Sarda also published monographs on Arizona sculptor, John Waddell and the late California painter, Marion Pike.

Michel's other writings include the bilingual book of poetry EPARS/SCATTERED and the ARIZONA MILLENNIUM TRILOGY, photo-essay books on Arizona artists, philanthropists and community leaders. Soon to be published are a bilingual edition of his FABLES and a second book of poems, PRIVATE CELEBRATIONS.

Recently published by Bridgewood Press are "THE MIND GARDEN-CONVERSATIONS WITH PAOLO SOLERI II" (2007). Soleri is an Italian-born, fellow-architect and philosopher, who created the futuristic model city of Arcosanti in the high desert north of Phoenix. Sarda's Bridgewood Press has now published over 35 books.

Community and non-profit organizer

After heading the 1989 Arizona Committee for the Bicentennial of the French Revolution, Sarda was elected President of the Alliance Francaise of Greater Phoenix (1990--1993) and to the Board of the Federation of Alliances Francaises of AmericaFact|date=June 2007.

In 1992, together with his wife, Donnalee, Michel established the Art Renaissance Initiative (www.artrenaissance.org) which commissioned AN AMERICAN REQUIEM, composed by James DeMars. AN AMERICAN REQUIEM premiered in Phoenix in 1994 and has been performed in San Francisco, New York, Washington and Paris. The NYC production at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, was broadcast on 80 PBS stations. Michel also produced 9/11 memorial performances of AN AMERICAN REQUIEM in 2002, 2004 and 2006 in Phoenix.

In 1997 Michel Sarda created the nonprofit French Institute of Arizona, and for 15 years, with slide shows of his photos, he has lectured nationwide on French art, music, literature and architecture. He is a member of the National Speakers Bureau of the Federation of Alliances Francaises USA.

In 1998, Sarda, created the Arizona Vivaldi Festival, the largest event of its kind dedicated to the Venetian composer. Offerings have included the American premieres of the oratorio, JUDITHA TRIUMPHANS and the operas, LA FIDA NINFA and OTTONE IN VILLA.

In 1984, in collaboration with French movie director, Jean Cherasse, Sarda wrote the screenplay of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s unfinished, LORD OF THE SANDS and a collaboration on THE DEVIL'S BREATH. Sarda went on to write historical treatments for the movie industry, including LAFAYETTE THE INSURGENT, IO VIVALDI and FOREVER. Not yet produced, the films are in development statusFact|date=June 2007.

Awards

In 2000, in recognition of his efforts in promoting French culture in the United States, and for his own body of work, Sarda was knighted in the Order of Arts & Letters by the French governmentFact|date=June 2007.

In 2003, he received the Emmanuel-Robles International Poetry Award.

References