The American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet 2023 Annual Gala, held on November 8th at the French Consulate in New York, was an enchanting and intimate evening, characterized by refined elegance and artistic celebration.
Olivia Tournay Flatto.
Uniting patrons, philanthropists, opera enthusiasts, and ballet supporters, the gala celebrated the Music and Art, featuring enchanting performances and exquisite cuisine.
The Salon Cheminée hosted a welcoming cocktail reception, providing a Parisian atmosphere for mingling before a seated dinner expertly prepared by Feast & Fetes.
Consul General of France, Jeremie Robert, delivered a heartfelt welcome, setting the stage for the cultural journey. Olivia Tournay Flatto, AFPOB’s Chairman, emphasized the significance of supporting the arts and fostering cultural exchanges.
The gala showcased a musical interlude by American mezzo-soprano Jeanne Ireland, Korean tenor Jonghyun Park, and pianist Deborah Robertson.
Sana H. Sabbagh.
Gala Chair, Sana H. Sabbagh, took the stage, highlighting the universal significance of music and art in transcending boundaries.
The gala played a pivotal role in supporting upcoming Paris Opera & Ballet productions featuring American artists, productions and projects that emphasize the importance of fostering French-American friendship through the arts.
Guest included Donna Corbat, Laura Zeckendorf, Marina Couloucoundis, Marie-France Kern, Hal Witt, and Jeanne Hoefliger. Patrons of the Arts, Denise Littlefield Sobel, BNP Paribas CEO Jean-Yves Fillion, Gala main sponsor Muffie Potter Aston, Maureen Footer, Andrew Litton and violinist Katharina Kang Litton, Mary McFadden, Victoria Wyman, Cecila and Pedro Torres, Noreen Buckfire, Ursula Hautle-Striker, Thierry Betbeze and Annie Betbeze, Carolyn Hall, Jean-Pierre Frohlich, Susan Baker and Michael Lynch.
L. to r.: Catherine Juracich and Caroline Hall; Amy and Alexandra Kuehner.L. to r.: Pedro Torres and Cecilia Picon; Donna Corbat, Olivia Tournay Flatto, and Julia Flatto.L. to r.: Maureen Footer; Olivia Tournay Flatto and Jeanne Hoefliger.Denise Littlefield Sobel, Hal Witt, and Kathy Brown.Donna Corbat, Neal McElroy, Nina McElroy, and Julie Terrell.Yael Natori, Carolyn Hall, and Stephanie Binder.Kelly Hoyle, Julia Flatto, Lexi Kuehner, Natalie Jackson, Julie Terrell, Amy Kuehner, Catherine Juracich, Donna Corbat, and Marie-France Kern.Tatiana Callimanopulos, Michelle McMaster, Joyce Giuffra, Julie Kim, Soo Won Hwang, Gita Shaari, Dana Goldstein, Olivia Tournay Flatto, Christina de Marval, and Connie Morgan.Jeanne Hoefliger and Marina Couloucoundis.Karin Reza, Sana Sabbagh, and Noel Lateef.Thierry Betbeze, Shinuna Karume Robert, Jérémie Robert, Sana H. Sabbagh, and Stella Betbeze.Katherina Kang Litton and Andrew Litton.Olivia Tournay Flatto, Marc Rosen, and Muffie Potter Aston.Jérémie Robert.Mary McFadden and Karin Reza.Olivia Tournay Flatto.Jérémie Robert and Sana H. Sabbagh.Deborah Robertson, Jean Ireland, and Jonghyun Park.Jean Ireland, Jonghyun Park, and Deborah Robertson.Sana H. Sabbagh.Jean-Yves Fillion’s table (BNP Parisbas) — Sitting, l. to r.: Marie-Aimee Delaisi, Alexandre Barjon, Thierry Betbeze, Jean Yves Fillion, and Jill Pemberton. Standing, l. to r.: Camille Rogier, Nesrine Methlouthi, Annie Betbeze, and Vikas Khandelwal.Sana H. Sabbagh’s table — Sitting, l. to r.: Mary McFadden, Karin Reza, Jeremie Robert, Sana H. Sabbagh, Comte Alexandre de Vogue, and Noel Lateef. Standing, l. to r.: Joseph Hernandez, Victoria Wyman, Mark Gilbertson, Ursula Hautle-Striker, and Paul Striker.Donna Corbat, Catherine Juracich and Amy Kuehner’s table — Sitting, l. to r.: Stephanie Binder, Yael Natori, Kareem Daniel, Allison Sullens, Carolyn Hall, and Amy Kuehner. Standing, l. to r.: Jeanne Hoefliger, Donna Corbat, Catherine Juracich, Lexi Kuehner, Natalie Jackson, and Julie Terrell.Olivia Tournay Flatto’s table — Sitting, l. to r.: Donna Corbat, Julia Flatto, Andre Litton, and Katharina Kang Litton. Standing, l. to r.: Neal McElroy, Marina Aaron, Marie-France Kern, Hervé Aaron, Olivia Tournay Flatto, Kelly Hoyle, Nina McElroy, and Lara Oliveau.
