For more that 35 years, the American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet have shared the Paris Opera and Ballet treasures with the American audience and fostered artistic partnerships with stellar American artists and companies
More than ever, we are focusing on the next generation of artists who need our help to preserve and assure the future of our beloved art forms.
OLIVIA TOURNAY FLATTO — CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
ABOUT US ———— OUR HISTORY
Read about
Our History
Based in New York, the American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet was incorporated in 1984 in response to then the Director of the Paris Opera Ballet Rudolf Nureyev‘s request to tour the company in the United States.
The not-for-profit organization was created by Marina de Brantes with the help of Andre Larquié, President of the Opera National de Paris, and attorney Edward A. Reilly, under the guidance of David Rockefeller. Michel David-Weill, a banker and philanthropist raised between New York and Paris, was AFPOB’s first Chairman and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Lee Radziwill, Estée Lauder, Henry Kissinger, Ambassador Arthur Hartman, Mary Sharp Cronson, Anne H. Bass, Eugenia Doll, Alice Tully and Cecile Zilkha were among the first Trustees.
Recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt foundation in 1985, the group has helped underwrite numerous U.S. tours of the Paris Opera, Paris Opera Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet School, traveling exhibitions from the Paris Opera Museum and appearances of guest artists from the Paris Opera Ballet, as well as many productions at the Paris Opera that prominently feature the participation of American artists, such as Jerome Robbins, Trisha Brown, William Christie, Peter Sellars and Robert Wilson.
Grants are also made to talented young dancers and singers in order to help them develop their artistry by providing a scholarship or an exchange program experience with the Paris Opera & Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet School and the Paris Opera Academy.
ABOUT US ———— OUR HISTORY
Read about
Major Dates
Appointed Director of the Paris Opera Ballet by the French Minister of Culture in 1983, Rudolf Nureyev immediately started developing the international outreach of the Company: a year later the American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet was launched.
In 1986, the Company was touring at the Met Opera in New York City and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, appearing in the United Stated for the first time in nearly 40 years with the new production of Swan Lake choreographed by Rudolf Nureyev.
Since then, the Paris Opera Ballet Company has had more US Tours including four on the East Coast (1987, 1993, 1996, 2012) and two on the West Coast (1988 and 2001).
In 1989, the exceptional and disruptive Paris Opera production of “Atys” by Lully at the Brooklyn Academy of Music truly helped launch the interest in Opera Baroque in the United States.
In 1994– San Francisco Ballet was invited as Guest Company to perform at the Paris Opera-Palais Garnier;
The Paul Taylor Dance Company was invited in 1997 at the Paris Opera-Palais Garnier and the following year, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company was presented at the Paris Opera- Palais Garnier;
In 2001, Paris Opera Ballet US Tour in the West Coast, including San Francisco and Orange County.
In 2009, Olivia Tournay Flatto became the 3rd Chairman of the Organization.
During Summer 2012, after two years of bilateral work, the Opera National de Paris and AFPOB brought 160 dancers and staff to Washington DC, Chicago and New York, including 16 of Paris Opera Ballet’s celebrated Etoiles.
In September 2015, AFPOB joined the first Opening Gala of the Paris Opera Ballet Season, initiated by Paris Opera Ballet Director Benjamin Millepied.
AFPOB supported the return of American Ballet Theatre to the Paris Opera with Alexei Ratmansky’s Sleeping Beauty in September 2016.
In July 2017, the 50th Anniversary of Jewels by Balanchine was celebrated at the Lincoln Center reuniting for the very first time the Bolshoi, New York City Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet.
In 2018, AFPOB in partnership with the French Institute: Alliance Francaise (FIAF), launched in New York the Paris Opera & Ballet HD Screening Series, allowing the American audience to discover some of the French cultural institution major broadcast productions. For its first edition, the program included the contemporary ballets Balanchine / Robbins/Millepied and the opera Samson and Dalila. Meanwhile in Paris, the Martha Graham Dance Company was invited to perform on the stage of the Palais Garnier.
2019 was a milestone year celebrating the 350th Anniversary of the Paris Opera, 30th Anniversary of the Bastille Opera house, and AFPOB 35th Anniversary Gala.
ABOUT US ———— OUR MISSION
Collaborating
Connecting
and building bridges
AFPOB connects
the Paris Opera & Ballet with American artists and with ballet & musical companies.
Promoting
Sharing the Paris Opera treasures
AFPOB helps promote the Paris Opera & Ballet in the United States through media, events and fundraising campaigns.
Fostering Cooperation
Developing artistic cooperation
AFPOB fosters artistic cooperation through scholarship programs, artist exchanges, and US tours of the Paris Opera & Ballet.
Meet us
Board, Staff, Friends and more
The American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet are led by a team of Executives, a Board of Directors, and a Board of Trustees. Above all, AFPOB could not exist without its loyal and generous Members and Donors, without passionate individuals, dedicated Foundations, and responsible corporations.
MEMBERS