Friday, October 6th. 7:45 PM. The square in front of the Nice Opera is bustling with people. Evening gowns for some, suits for others. Some remain discreet, like the Moon that hardly dares to reveal its quarter. At its feet, the Harmony Orchestra conducted by Urs Brodman plays popular tunes. The residents of Rue de l’Opéra in Nice are leaning on their window sills. A living tableau that the gentleman of Old Nice knows so well how to offer us.
9 PM. Night falls, the moon takes the stage. But tonight, it will not be the coveted star. Without jealousy, it will shine in its sky to honor the “Woman of the Year”: Madame Bernadette Chirac.
The Gala of the Woman opens with the famous “Waltz No. 2” by Shostakovich performed by the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sergio Materisi. The three-beat music majestically leads the spectator to meet the “Muses 2006”. For the first time, but certainly not the last, three talented young women took the opera stage:
– Akilcan Guntekin, just 17, performs with strength and voluptuousness, the “Second Sonata in G Minor” 1st movement by Robert Schumann,
– Woo Yeon Lee, the muse of singing, has fun with her pure voice, playing on a musette by Puccini,
– And, Diane Le Floc’h, the muse of dance, will reveal her grace and presence to music by Catherine Lara.
Akilcan Guntekin, Woo Yeon Lee, Diane Le Floc’h: three young stars who illuminated the Nice Opera.
A premiere also with this ballet “Wolfgang Amadeus Hip Hop Mozart” where classical dancers vie for the stage with hip-hop dancers from the Kamikaze Flex company. Standing Ovation! “Bravos” are shouted from the balconies, a rain of applause floods the Opera. “Unprecedented,” notes a spectator. But who dared to integrate this cultural and artistic movement from New York ghettos? Who dared such a genre mixture? A name? Madame Monique Peyrat, who shone all evening with her elegance and discretion. “I am delighted because it was very risky to mix hip-hop and classical. When I suggested it, there was some reluctance, but it went superbly well in the end. Did you see the audience’s reaction? And then it’s young people from La Semeuse who had never danced on the Opera stage… It was wonderful. I am happy, people appreciated it,” confides the president of the Nice Presence association between two conversations.
A premiere also, this excerpt from a popular opera composed by Jean-Claude Petit titled “Sans Famille” which will be officially presented on February 23, 2007. This choir of children from the Nice Opera immersed us in innocence. “Very charming”, “delightful”, “cute” are adjectives that were often heard when listening carefully.
“Renew the hip-hop and classical blend,” “very good programming,” “excellent choice by Madame Peyrat, anyway this event is always wonderful, full of pleasant surprises” … are comments heard during the intermission cocktail.
The second part of the evening projects us, to start, into a film about the “Foundation Hospitals of Paris – Hospitals of France”. Then, it is time to pay tribute on stage to the “Woman of the Year”: Madame Bernadette Chirac. With a laudatory speech, Jean-Claude Brialy reads a text for the queen, or rather should we say, for the queens of the evening. Senator Mayor of Nice ventures into exemplary oratory to congratulate and compliment the actions led by “his colleague” to whom he will present the “Arman de la Femme”. In the morning, the patron of Yellow Coins visited Archet 2 to appreciate projects aimed at improving the daily lives of children and adolescents in the hospital, funded by the Yellow Coins Operation. In the afternoon, she inaugurated the Da Vinci surgical robot. The “Foundation Hospitals of Paris – Hospitals of France” will provide funds for the realization of medical projects in the Alpes-Maritimes. Many intentions for our “metropolis,” which well deserved to honor Madame Bernadette Chirac during an evening!
The “Gala de la Femme” will conclude with the splendid representation of the first act of “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi featuring soprano Nathalie Manfrino and tenor Carlos Cosias.
The stage of the Nice Opera is decorated with a table around which guests are celebrating. A party organized by Violetta Valery, a courtesan, to forget about her illness. All her friends are gathered around her, including her current lover, Baron Douphol. During this party, Gaston introduces her to one of his friends, Alfredo Germont. He declares his love to Violetta, who, during a duet between the two protagonists, gets involved in the game of love after having renounced it…
Acclaim for the “Fallen Woman”! “Magnificent!” Violetta and Alfredo will reprise their brilliant duet before the final bow!
The curtain falls. The Gala of the Woman ends beautifully under a shower of paper yellow coins!
The faithful Moon watches people exit the Opera. Smiling, they return home after having spent a delightful evening.
An evening of elegance! An evening of prestige! But above all, an evening of generosity! (*all proceeds collected during this Gala will be donated to an association.*)
A simply successful evening for Madame Peyrat!
See you next year!
For more information:
– The Foundation of French and Paris Hospitals: [www.fondationhopitaux.fr](https://www.fondationhopitaux.fr)
– The Yellow Coins Operation: [www.piecesjaunes.com](https://www.piecesjaunes.com)
– [Interview with Madame Peyrat](https://www.nicepremium.fr/article.php3?id_article=1182)
