Florent Masse, professor of the practice in the Department of French and Italian and director of L’Avant-Scène, has been promoted to the rank of Officier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Presented by the French Ministry of Culture, the order recognizes eminent artists and writers, as well as people who have contributed significantly to the arts in France and throughout the world. The promotion was conferred in February 2026 by Rachida Dati, French minister of culture.
The award is granted at three levels: Commandeur (Commander), Officier (Officer), and Chevalier (Knight). In 2017, Masse was named Chevalier.
In 2001, Masse founded L’Avant-Scène, the French Theater Workshop, and has since produced nearly 80 full-length productions of popular plays in the French theatrical canon. He has served since 2012 as artistic director of Seuls en Scène, Princeton’s French Theater Festival, which he produces annually in partnership with the Lewis Center for the Arts, with support from the Humanities Council. In 2024, Masse organized, produced and directed “A Celebration of Twenty Years of French Theater at Princeton,” marking the 20th anniversary of L’Avant-Scène.
Read the full announcement on the Dean of the Faculty website.
