Last Sunday, patrons and supporters of the Royal Opera of the Palace of Versailles gathered once again for a prestigious musical evening for the benefit of ADOR. After the concert, the guests continued the evening in the most beautiful rooms of the Palace of Versailles, with a dinner served in the Galerie des Batailles. Among the guests were Prince Joachim and Princess Yasmine Murat.
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Bel canto resonates at the Royal Opera of Versailles
This year, the Association of Friends of the Royal Opera (ADOR) celebrates its 10th anniversary. ADOR has supported the opera at the Palace of Versailles for a decade. The funds collected by ADOR are entirely invested in the realization of artistic opera projects. In return, its members benefit from certain privileges. On Sunday, September 29, the association organized its 7th annual gala.
The guests were welcomed with champagne in the Salle des Croisades, a room remodeled in 1843 by King Louis-Philippe I to pay homage to the Crusades and the nobility. After this welcome, the musical evening took place to the sound of the greatest bel canto arias by Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti and Vincenzo Bellini. Under the direction of Gaétan Jarry and Stefan Plewniak, soprano Lauranne Oliva, mezzo Juliette Mey, tenor Léo Vermot Desroches, and baritone Halidou Numéro.
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Evening of support for ADOR in the most beautiful rooms of Versailles
It was only under Louis XV, in 1685, that construction work began on the Royal Opera, in the north wing of the Palace of Versailles. It was not until May 1770 that the room was inaugurated for the wedding celebrations of the future King Louis XVI, still Dauphin of France, and Archduchess Marie-Antoinette. The room was restored between 1952 and 1957, inaugurated at the time by President René Coty in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II. From 2007 to 2009, major work relating to the security of the premises forced its closure. Today, the Royal Opera offers a rich and varied program with more than 100 performances per season.
Among the personalities present at the gala were Prince Joachim and Princess Yasmine Murat, prince and princess of Ponte Corvo. The heir couple of Maison Murat participated in the gala with Princess Caroline Murat, accompanied by her husband Antoine Turzi. Princess Caroline is a renowned pianist herself.
After the concert, a cocktail was organized for the guests in the Salon d’Hercule, followed by a musical moment in the Royal Chapel. The guests thus passed through the Grand Apartments of the King to reach the Battles Gallery where the tables were set to serve dinner. The evening ended with a majestic fireworks display.
The Battles Gallery is located in the south wing of the Palace of Versailles. This room was commissioned by King Louis-Philippe I. The paintings on the walls represent around thirty epic battles. They evoke nearly fifteen centuries of French military success, ranging from Clovis to Napoleon.
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