Report from the 1 April 2020

Arop’s 40th anniversary gala

28 March 2020A newsletter to remain informed about the Paris Opera's activities during the health crisis. 10 April 2020A newsletter to remain informed about the Paris Opera's activities during the health crisis.

The 40th anniversary gala of the Association pour le Rayonnement de l’Opéra national de Paris (Arop) - the Friends of the Paris Opera - took place on Thursday, February 27, 2020 at the Palais Garnier, on the initiative of Stéphane Lissner, General Director of the Paris Opera, and Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, Chairman of the Arop, with the major support of Rolex and under the chairmanship of Doctor Léone Noëlle Meyer.

The year 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of the Association pour le Rayonnement de l’Opéra national de Paris (Arop) - the Friends of the Paris Opera -, founded in 1980 by a group of generous donors fond of opera and ballet.

Since then, the association has played a crucial role alongside the Institution, helping to finance its numerous projects: the production of new shows, the Ballet’s and the Orchestra’s tours, the development of the educational programs, the renovation of the theaters, the access of new audiences, the development of digital projects such as the 3e Scène of the Opera, etc.

The Arop currently gathers close to 4,500 members, both individuals and corporate, and allows an annual fundraising of about 18 million euros for the benefit of the Opera.

Thanks to the support of the Chairwoman of the gala, Doctor Léone Noëlle Meyer, of Rolex, Exclusive Timepiece of the Paris Opera, of the House of Champagne Taittinger and of all the generous donors of the Honorary Committee, this gala celebrating 40 years of Arop raised more than 400,000 euros for the benefit of the activities of the Paris Opera.

Many patrons of the Institution and other opera enthusiasts climbed the steps of the Palais Garnier, that was especially decorated for the occasion by Cédric Guigues and Eric Chauvin.

On the occasion of an exceptional recital, Maria Agresta, Xabier Anduaga, Benjamin Bernheim, Jean- François Borras, Aleksandra Kurzak, Elena Stikhina, Ludovic Tézier, Pretty Yende and the Orchestra and Choirs of the Paris Opera interpreted some of the greatest arias from the repertoire, conducted by Maestro Pier Giorgio Morandi.

Many personnalities from the art and culture scene attended the event, such as Céline Sallette, Diana Widmaier-Picasso, Mathias Heymann, Alice Renavand, Sami Outalbali, Louise Follain, Soko, Laurent Lafitte, Vincent Elbaz, Setsuko Rola de Klossowska, Frédéric Mitterrand, Clara Luciani, Fabrizio Casiraghi, Vanessa Seward and Bertrand Burgalat, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Sonia Sieff, Betony Vernon, Kiddy Smile, Simon Buret, Olivier Coursier, Joseph Dirand, Casey Cadwallader, Kamel Mennour, Camille Charrière, Monica de la Villadière, Inés Melia, Chloe Wise, Evan Mock, Yvan Attal, Anissa Bonnefont, Julie de Bona, Les Brigitte, Florian Zeller, Melody Gardot.

After the recital, over 600 guests gathered in the Grand Foyer and Avant-Foyer of the Palais Garnier to enjoy a dinner courtesy of chefs Christophe Larrat and Lionel Lallement.

To close the festivities, a Jazz Ball hosted by the Galaad Moutoz Orchestra was held in the Rotonde des Abonnés and had the guests dancing until the middle of the night.