(Above: Robert Wilson and half the cast of Grace for Grace. Photo Montblanc)
Opera Chic was in gorgeous Montecarlo last week to celebrate the launch of Montblanc's Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco line among a VIP guest list including royals (Princess Caroline, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene) and celebrities (dainty Steel Magnolia flower Daryl Hannah and Emmanuelle Béart).
The evening began at the intimately-luscious Opéra de Monte-Carlo for a Robert Wilson-curated vignette of performances by Shenyang, Bryn Terfel and Diana Damrau (among other performers such as Rufus and Martha Wainwright) and the evening continued to the Hotel de Paris for an elegant gala.
OC wrote all about it on her latest Stasera Esco for Grazia.it which you can read here.
And at this point, you know the drill...
(Above: Viktor and Rolf designed the costumes for the Opéra de Monte-Carlo event, Eva Herzigova's in the middle)
In celebration of the elegance and sophistication of Princess Grace of Monaco, Montblanc hosted an unforgettable evening on September 8 at Montecarlo's most luxurious locations -- the Opéra de Monte-Carlo and the Hotel de Paris -- to premiere the "Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco" jewels and to celebrate her legacy as an arts benefactor.
Designed by Montblanc International’s inexhaustible creative director Carlo Giordanetti, the elegant jewels were offered as three unique, limited edition jewellery sets, timepieces and writing instruments. Each piece celebrated the Grace de Monaco pink rose that was created in 1956 on occasion of her wedding to Prince Rainier III of Monaco. From the collection, a necklace made of delicate teardrops in white gold, diamonds, and pink sapphires complimented the 1950s glamour that she defined as Grace Kelly in the award-winning films of Hitchcock.
Guests included H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene of Monaco and H.R.H. Princess Caroline of Hanover who rubbed their royal shoulders with celebrities such as Eva Herzigova, Emmanuelle Béart, Daryl Hannah, Naomi Watts, Jerry Hall and Olivia Palermo.
The evening began in the intimate and gilded halls of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo. The belle époque gem was designed by Charles Garnier in the late 19th century and hosted the premieres of operas such as Massenet's Don Quichotte, Mascagni's Amica, and Puccini's La Rondine.
Montblanc dipped its iconic Meisterstück into a cultural inkpot with a show called "Grace for Grace" directed by American stage director Robert Wilson and costumed by Amsterdam-based fashion duo Viktor & Rolf.
Opera stars took the stage for solos and duets: bass-baritone Bryn Terfel and soprano Diana Damrau sang Là ci darem la mano from Mozart's Don Giovanni; Damrau sang a stunning Je veux vivre dans le rêve from Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette; and bass-baritone Shenyang sang a resplendent Scintille, diamant from Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Between opera arias, glittering Canadian entertainers Rufus Wainwright and his sister Martha sang campy works by Elton John and Rodgers & Hammerstein. Principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre Gillian Murphy danced Aurora’s Variation from Act 1 of Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty.
The party moved across the plaza to the luxurious Hotel de Paris for a gala dinner. Lutz Bethge, CEO Montblanc International, announced the new charity partnership with the Princess Grace Foundation-USA (PGF-USA) and pledged a 1 million-dollar donation (US dollars) while guests feasted on gravlax-style marinated salmon and fillet of beef. Prince Albert II of Monaco spoke touchingly about his mother and applauded Montblanc for its encouragement and support of the arts.