Paris Came to New York (For a Select Few)
By Katlean De Monchy
There was a delightful gathering at Bruce Horten’s glamorous 77th-floor residence overlooking the East River earlier this month. They were mostly members of the International Circle, lovers of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, or TCE, who were there to greet Baptiste Charroing, its new director. Charroing (pronounced sha-rwan) was elevated to his position last year after serving as the theater’s director of production. So he was already familiar to TCE’s International Circle.
Baptiste Charroing, at the TCE (Photo: Julien Benhamou)
Why is TCE so beloved here in the US? There is its spectacular concert hall, its superb acoustics and, not to be dismissed, its location on the prime shopping street in Paris, Avenue Montaigne. It also has stunning Art Deco architecture, dating from its construction in 1913.
The main hall has 1,900 seats and there are two smaller theaters. (Photo credit: Hartl-Meyer/TCE)
Then there is its history. Two months after the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées opened, Stravinsky’s Rights of Spring premiered there, one of the most significant moments in modern music. The theater builders had rebelliously decided to keep the name when they were denied permission to put their theater on the Champs-Élysées. So poking a finger in the eye of Paris authorities came naturally. A little over a decade later Josephine Baker made her Paris debut there.
Unlike Palais Garnier, primarily for ballet, and Opéra Bastille, home to opera, TCE has a bit of everything. Opera, yes. But also Cirque Le Roux (a combination of acrobatics, fractured story lines and visual tricks), the Joffrey Ballet (booked for next March), piano recitals, chamber music, oratorios, modern dance like Jin Xing, Sunday morning concerts and special ticket prices for those under 26: 15 Euros (about $17.50).
Marifé Hernández, the host Buce Horten, the singer Ermonela Jaho, the new director Baptiste Charroing (Photo credit: Jared Siskin)
“The TCE is the Carnegie Hall of Europe,” said International Circle co-chair Marifé Hernández. “Every Parisian knows it—but now Americans are discovering it too.” She noted there were barriers for some artists to perform in the United States. (Ever the diplomat, she did not specify which ones.)
Because of that, she said, people must go to Europe. “If Americans want to stay culturally relevant, they must come to us,” she said.
The benefactor Judith Pisar with the compose and conductor Christian-Frédéric Bloquert. (Photo credit: Jared Siskin)
Charroing, who is of couse charming and at ease with a New York audience, said a transatlantic cultural identity was rooted in creativity and exchange. “We are investing in the next generation—especially women—and creating a season that reflects both heritage and innovation,” he said, highlighting a major symphonic performance of Leonard Bernstein’s Kaddish on October 1, featuring a narration by Judith Pisar.
Pisar is the mother of Anthony Blinken, the former US Secretary of State under President Joe Biden. Four years ago she created the Pisar Prize with Juilliard in collaboration with TCE to recognize young composers.
Julia Neugebauer, Richard Colker and Kathleen De Monchy (Photo credit: Jared Siskin)
Julia Neugebauer, the director of fund-raising events at TCE — and the person to speak to if you want to buy tickets for the glamorous dinner on stage in Paris on May 17 — described the International Circle as family. She made a point of mentioning the French-US cultural exchange scheduled in Paris in November for its International week. There were several French cultural ambassadors sprinkled among the guests as everyone clinked glasses. The Champagne was French, of course.
The soprano Ermonela Jaho and the pianist Juan Lazaro (Photo credit: Jared Siskin)
There was a standout performance by the Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho, who sang excerpts from La Traviata and Maria Stuarda. She will appear as Violetta at Metropolitan Opera in May and the appear at TCE next April. To hear what The Economist has called “the world’s most acclaimed soprano” in such an intimate setting, among such music lovers, was an honor. The room was hushed in appreciation.
David Salazar and his wife, the French-Argentinian mezzosoprano Eugenia Forteza. They now live in New York. (Photo credit: Jared Siskin)
The attendees included a mix of creatives with the business men and women and wealthy francophiles who make such cultural operations possible: John M. Beck; Elbrun and Peter Kimmelman; Anthony Atiyeh, senior designer at Family Office; Juan Lazaro, a Peruvian pianist and diction coach at the Metropolitan opera; the orthopedic spine surgeon Grigoriy Arutyunyan; the composer and conductor Christian-Frédéric Bloquer.
Amanda Hathaway and Laura Lobdell (Photo credit: Jared Siskin)
Also in attendance were the mezzosoprano Eugenia Forteza; Richard Colker and Lucy Lamphere; François de Panisse-Passis and Caroline Hubbard; Amanda Hathaway; Joel Bell; Janet Hopkins; the jewely designer Laura Lobdell; Domitille Marchal Lemoine, executive director of the Friends of the Foundation of France; Nesrine Methlouthi of Paribas, and Elizabeth Velez of the Velez construction firm.
It was a chance to meet the charming Baptiste Charroing, for the International Circle to perhaps become a little larger, an opportunity to hear delightful singing and enjoy bonhomie on the 77th floor in New York City. The location was, of course, a counterpoint to April in Paris.
