6:30-7:30PM
Pre-Concert receptions at L'Alliance
7:30-9:00PM
Performance by the Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra and Franco Fagioli
9:00-11:00PM
Post-show Salon at Freeman’s | Hindman Townhouse (32 E 67th Street, New York, NY 10065) - for Louis XIV Experience ticket buyers only
All tickets include pre-concert reception with cocktails by Via Carota and wine by Bouchaine Vineyards, non-alcoholic cocktails by Curious Elixirs, cheese & charcuterie, and more.
"Louis XIV Experience" Premium Tickets include:
The Royal Opera of the Palace of Versailles first opened its doors back in 1770, and the Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra has never yet crossed the Atlantic to tour the New World – that is, until now... it is with our heads humbled and beret-laden, and our champagne glasses held high, that we at Death of Classical are proud to present these legends of French Opera in their New York début, part of their first ever tour of the United States, for two evenings of extravagant music-making that we're calling Versailles in New York, presented in partnership with our amazing friends at Festival Napa Valley and Atout France.
For Versailles at L'Alliance, we'll offer an evening centered around a full performance by the Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra conducted by Stefan Plewniak, along with the great countertenor Franco Fagioli, in his North American debut. But being the entrepreneurial bon vivants that we are, we're obviously not just going to put on an evening of opera arias and call it a night - instead, we're taking over L'Alliance New York, a gorgeous midtown bastion of French culture, where we'll share a pre-show reception (included in ticket price) featuring charcuterie and similarly thematically-appropriate cuisine, as well as an aperitif of fine wines by Bouchaine Vineyards and cocktails by Via Carota. Once we've ate and drunk our fill, we'll make our way to the theater for the main event: a program entitled "Arias for Velluti, The Last Castrato" that centers around Giovanni Battista Velluti, generally considered the last great Castrato, and features music by Rossini, Nicolini, Bonfichi, Zingarelli, Mercadante and more.
A select number of higher-priced tickets will offer the full "Louis XIV Experience" - a truly over-the-top, opulent extravaganza of an evening that includes a separate pre-show reception in "Le Skyroom" (a room as magnifique as its name), premium seating for the concert, and the coup de grâce: a post-show salon hosted by Freeman’s | Hindman New York Auctions, where we'll take a short summer night stroll up Fifth avenue to their one-of-a-kind townhouse, and enjoy world-class food and drink, fine art, furniture, and jewelery, and site-specific performances of music, dance, theater, storytelling, mime, and more. It promises to be a fête worthy of the Sun King himself.
Regardless of whether you opt for a standard ticket, or choose to go all-out in your best Baroque finery, this will be an evening of musical history-making that we can't wait to share with you. Allez, mes amis!
Gioachino Rossini: Tancredi - Sinfonia
Giuseppe Nicolini: Traiano in Dacia - Aria di Decebalo: "Ah se mi lasci o cara"
Paolo Bonfichi: Attila - Scena e cavatina di Lotario: "Qual mi circonda e agghiaccia ... Dolenti e care immagini ... Vedrai quest’anima"
Pierre Rode: Concerto for violin N°1 - Final Polonaise
Giuseppe Nicolini: Carlo Magno - Scena e rondò di Vitekindo: "Ecco o numi compiuto ... Ah quando cesserà ... Lo sdegno io non pavento"
Gioachino Rossini: Αureliano in Palmira - Sinfonia
Gioachino Rossini: Aureliano in Palmira - Scene Arie e Cavaletta di Arsace: "Dolci silvestri orrori… Ah! Che sento… Non lasciarmi in tal momento"
Niccolò Antonio Zingarelli: Giulietta e Romeo - Overture
Saverio Mercadante: Andronico - Cavatina di Andronico: "Dove m'aggiro ... Era felice un dì ... Sì bel contento in giubilo"
The Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra, conducted by Stefan Plewniak
Franco Fagioli, countertenor
The Opéra Royal du Château de Versailles presents one hundred performances a year, graced by great names and international performers on its prestigious stage. The Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal was formed in 2019 for John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles. Comprising musicians who regularly work with leading conductors, the Orchestra champions a wide repertoire ranging from baroque to classical to romantic. Due to the history of the place whose name it bears, the core repertoire consists of music from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Franco Fagioli is one of the leading virtuoso countertenors of our time. Renowned as much for his artistry as for the beauty of his voice, spanning three octaves, and masterful technique, he is the first countertenor to sign an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon. The singer’s relationship with the Yellow Label reflects his status as one of the brightest stars of Baroque and early 19th-century bel canto opera. His solo début recording for the company, Rossini, with Armonia Atenea and George Petrou, his album of Handel Arias with Il Pomo d’Oro and his album of spectacular virtuoso arias by Leonardo Vinci, also with Il Pomo d’Oro, have all won universal critical acclaim. In 2023 he made his Pentatone recording debut with Anime Immortali, together with the Kammerorchester Basel, exploring the music that Mozart composed for castratos.
Stefan Plewniak is a Polish conductor and violinist. He is a first conductor of the Orchestre de l’Opera Royale Versailles and former music director of the Warsaw Chamber Opera. The founder and musical director of the Il Giardino d’Amore orchestra and Cappella dell’Ospedale della Pietà Venezia. In 2016, he founded The FeelHarmony Symphony Orchestra.