Inside the Palais Garnier for the occasion of the Paris Opera Ballet 2018/2019 season opening gala. Photo courtesy Paris Opera Ballet
The “défilé du ballet.” Photo courtesy Paris Opera Ballet
The Palais Garnier came to sparkling life last night to hail the opening of the 2018-2019 ballet season. As culture and fashion partners, VIPs, and sponsors in black tie poured into the opera house, they discovered delicate lights cascading from the baroque ceiling, and the magnificent staircase decorated with navy and lavender-hued blooms following a 1001 Nights theme. Once inside the auditorium, the curtain rose to reveal the “défilé du ballet.” Performed annually to the music of Hector Berlioz, the Paris Opera Ballet dancers along with the petits rats (ballet school students) walked down the stage to curtsy to the audience.
Aurélie Dupont and Diana Vishneva dance Bolero. Photo Julien Benhamou. Courtesy Paris Opera Ballet
Etoiles dancers including Mathias Heymann, Alice Renavand, and ballet director Aurélie Dupont. Courtesy Paris Opera Ballet
Following an intermission, the contemporary work “Décadance” by choreographer Ohad Naharin entertained the audience. Particularly and for the one night only, ballet director Aurélie Dupont (and former étoile) joined Diana Vishneva, principal dancer at the Marinsky and the American Ballet Theater, to dance Bolero. Their black costume dresses were designed by Karl Lagerfeld for the house of Chanel, patron of the evening along with sponsor Rolex.
Aurélie Dupont and Keira Knightley. Photo François Goize. Courtesy of Paris Opera Ballet
Following the performance, 800 guests—including étoile Mathias Heymann and actor Keira Knightley, both featured in Vogue Arabia’s September issue—entered the great foyer halls for a sumptuous dinner of fall delights.
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