Vacheron Constantin And The Opra National De Paris Celebrate Bjart

Vacheron Constantin and the Opra National de Paris celebrate Bjart at the Opra Bastille

An unforgettable, highly emotional evening in front of a packed audience. Paris smart set raring to attend the first Hommage Maurice Bjart.

In its capacity as Patron of the Opra National de Paris, Vacheron Constantin, the worlds oldest watch manufacture, received several hundred guests for the premire of Hommage Maurice Bjart. The event took place on Tuesday, 9 December at the Opra Bastille in Paris and was attended by Gerard Mortier, Director of the Opra National de Paris, Brigitte Lefvre, Dance Director, Juan-Carlos Torres, Vacheron Constantin CEO, Marc Guten, International Director, and Jean-Yves di Martino, Vacheron Constantins Director in France.

In front of a packed, emotional audience it was the first time that the troupe had performed any of Bjarts ballets since his death in Lausanne in November 2007 - two unique Maurice Bjart ballets, Adagietto and Le chant du compagnon errant, were performed just for the premire, along with three of his celebrated choreographies, Serait-ce la mort?, LOiseau de feu and Le Sacre du Printemps.

Standing out among the guests was Farah Pahlavi, the last Empress of Iran. Also present were Gil Roman Director of the Bjart Ballet Lausanne, Patrick Poivre dArvor, Victoria Abril, Samuel Le Bihan, Evelyne Bouix, Guy Bedos, Philippe Lavil, Emmanuel de Brantes, Grard Holz, Nelson Montfort, Barbara Bui, Antoine Dulry, as well as Ulrich Lehner, Switzerlands ambassador in France who, accompanied by his wife, had kindly accepted the Geneva manufactures invitation. After the performance, the guests were invited to the top floor of the Opra Bastille for a private reception hosted by Vacheron Constantin.

Vacheron Constantin and the Opra National de Paris
Last year, Vacheron Constantin had the privilege and honour to become patron of the Opra National de Paris. The two companies share an important attribute: both have an extraordinary artistic heritage that they continuously nourish and enrich.

This year, among the various productions performed, Vacheron Constantin decided to support the Hommage Maurice Bjart. Maurice Bjart managed to impose a unique style that revolutionised dancing in the 20th century. Vacheron Constantin is therefore proud to have this opportunity to honour the memory and talent of this exceptional dancer and choreographer.

This tribute also bears witness to the affinities between time and art, two worlds that echo each other and are driven by the same emotion, passion. And as well as passion there are tradition, innovation, openness to the world, and the fostering of culture. At Vacheron Constantin, culture has become an authentic philosophy, a way of life that has been cultivated with enthusiasm and commitment for over 250 years.Vacheron Constantin is happy to be able to share these values with the Opra National de Paris