Music and dance can warm hearts and make life sweeter. And that’s a gift the Philanthropic ArsNova endowment fund, as a patron of the Paris Opera, wishes to share. For this reason, it invites beneficiaries of charitable associations, including residents of the Salvation Army’s Palais de la Femme shelter, to ballet and opera performances and behind-the-scenes tours, affording them a few moments of beauty amid turbulent daily lives.
“A delight for the senses! A divine grace that surrounds you. An ode to life. A philosophical dance. A flurry of green balls that resembled a garden… a paradise… the joy of life, a lightness in the soul…”: the ballet Play by Alexander Ekman that Béa watched in late 2024 at the Opéra Garnier has certainly left a lasting impression on her. The emotions of it all are still fresh. “It’s a feeling that endures over time. Every time I think about it, it’s as though I’m flying.” Each of her enthusiastic words is like a flower sent to the choreographer, the dancers and the singer… and also to those who made it possible for her to experience this new sensation. Laurence experienced this same heightened emotional state in the same venue in March while watching a public rehearsal by the Sharon Eyal-Mats Ek ballet company. “I didn’t just enjoy the show… I was enchanted by it! It was magical! I enjoy art, classical music and painting, but this time, I found out that I could also enjoy contemporary dance.” And though the evening itself has come and gone, she’s still floating: “I wished it would never end. The show was so good! And in this beautiful Parisian monument, too.” Like Béa, Laurence lives at the Palais de la Femme in Paris, a place of refuge for them. It was with them in mind – and their fellow women in hardship, whether struggling to find work or housing, weakened by life’s misfortunes, or victims of violence – that the Philanthropic ArsNova endowment fund reached out to this shelter.
An evolving patronage scheme
In its portfolio of performing arts-related activities, Philanthropic ArsNova has taken over the patronage with the Paris Opera that Maison Taittinger first initiated some ten years ago. By mutual agreement, the terms of patronage have changed this season. “To remain consistent with our chosen vocation, we asked for the initiative to be refocused on the cultural outreach programs at the Opéra Garnier and the Opéra Bastille,” explains Caroline de Chantérac, the fund’s Director of Development. In return, this arrangement gives us access to seats for ballets and operas, rehearsals, shows for younger audiences, previews, etc. We offer these seats to our partner associations, where appropriate for their target audiences. » The main recipients at present are the Salvation Army Foundation and the Apprentis d’Auteuil and Groupe SOS associations. “What we’re seeking to offer is quality, not quantity,” she insists. We want their experiences at the opera to bring them a little something extra; wonder, renewed social engagement, discovery.” The Paris Opera has approved the strategy, which is in harmony with its own objectives: “It’s a respected institution which is always seeking to shake things up, deconstruct clichés and open its doors to reach new audiences. We’re offering them something that’s never been done before. We’re thinking it through together, and moving forwards together.”
“An enchanted interlude”
150 seats have already been redistributed since September 2024, a portion of which have been given to the Palais de la Femme. An offshoot of the Salvation Army, this is a place that welcomes mostly isolated, vulnerable women, for whom such invitations can be truly heartwarming. “The evening at the Opera did me the world of good!”, says Laurence. “It was an enchanted interlude in a brutal world. You aren’t the same after you’ve seen such beautiful things. It makes you forget about life’s difficulties.” And Béa feels the same way: “When the Palais staff offered me the chance to go and see ‘Play’, I was stuck in a hole, exhausted, and feeling seriously down. But they persisted, and I’m glad I let them talk me into it. We can experience upsetting things in life, but moments like that, frozen in time, can compensate for it all. Every cloud has a silver lining…” Philanthropic ArsNova intends to take its partnership with the Palais de la Femme still further. Caroline de Chantérac: “We’ve realised that, for some residents, a trip to the Opera is no trivial matter, and can be scary. They have complicated lives, times when they aren’t feeling so good, and are less able to get out. Before bringing them to the Opera, we try to bring the Opera to them. In other words, we offer them a journey in stages, with an introduction to the place itself, a beginner’s guide to lyrical art and dance, chances to listen to well-known works in advance, meetings with artists or craftspeople who work at the Opera, behind-the-scenes tours, etc. We’re very happy that the ‘Opér’Arts’ programme is sponsored by star dancer Valentine Colasante, who shares our own values, and will bring even more magic to this journey.” It’s a partnership which is sure to make the experience on the big day all the richer.
