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What makes New York an international capital is not just
excellence here, but the curiosity about the rest of the
world and how welcoming we are to the best from other
continents. Among our city's finest ambassadors for culture
are Marifé
Hernández and her husband Joel
Bell. “When I discover something wonderful,
I want to share it, and I want all my friends to know about
it, and I want everybody to go” said Marifé to fifty of her
closest friends, gathered at her home on Thursday June 8th to
learn of her newest endeavor, The International Circle of
the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. “I discovered the Théâtre
des Champs-Élysées when I was about eight or nine, because I
was lucky enough to have a grandmother who took me to Paris
every year and to this beautiful theater.” With this, she
introduced the theater’s director general, Michel Franck,
who explained, “ours is one of the most beautiful theaters
in Paris. But what makes it special is intimacy; although it
is relatively large, it always feels intimate, with all our
seats no more than 30 meters from the stage. It is this
atmosphere, a feeling of community, that makes us a family
we hope you will join.”
The International Circle of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
plans a five-day September trip to Paris that incudes the
opening of the new season with the Orchestra and Choir of La
Scala de Milan and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, as
well as private entertainments including a concert and
cocktail hosted by Comte
Patrice de Laage de Meux (patron of the
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées) in his hôtel particulier, a
dinner given by Veronique
Bich in her Paris apartment, a tour of the
Laurent-Perrier Domain and its cellars, Tours-sur-Marne, and
a lunch at Chateau de Louvois.
Michel Franck went on to explain, “from our beginning, and
through our history we are home to great art and artists, Stravinsky and Nijinsky,
Josephine Baker (and celebrating her again
next year), Maria
Callas’ farewell concert, Bruno
Walter, Rubenstein, Horowitz, Toscanini, Karajan, Ozawa,
Boulez, Muti, William Christie, Jacques Brell and Elton
John. Cecilia
Bartoli will be with us again soon
because she says this is her home, a home for artists. They
find it rewarding to be part of us and we hope our American
friends will feel the same. The one thing that we are not
is on the Champs-Élysées, we are nearby on avenue
Montaigne. But that, too, is part of our history.”
For more information on The International Circle of the
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées kindly write: Julia Neugebauer
at jneugebauer@theatrechampselysees.fr
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