The American musical is very much alive and very well and living in Paris.
Last Friday night I was invited to the last dress rehearsal of An American in Paris before it opened to the public the next day for two weeks of previews.
It was a total knockout from beginning to end.
It was a tall order to take one of the most beloved musical films of all time and turn it into a stage production but Christopher Wheeldon, the director and choreographer, has remarkably pulled it off with astounding success.
From beginning to end, it was perfection. The cast is marvelously talented and accolades go to Robert Fairchild, who more than has big shoes to fill by playing Jerry Mulligan, the wide eyed naïve American painter falling for a girl he can’t have but woos her incessantly none the less, originally played by Gene Kelly, Leanne Cope, who embodies the delicate beauty and grace of Leslie Caron, and Veanne Cox, one of my favorite New York stage actresses, plays the staunch and oh so proper French Madame Baurel desperately holding on to the last vestiges of French tradition with humor and wit.
It goes without saying the musical score by George Gershwin is pure genius, but the orchestrations along with the heartfelt deliveries from the actors brought the music to a whole new level.
The book by Craig Lucas is dramatic and strong and not over clichéd as I’ve seen in many musical adaptations. The sets and costumes by Bob Crowley are dazzling and sumptuous, making you want to go back in time when there was such elegance and style.
Last but not least was the stunning choreography, which is the centerpiece of the show. It was so refreshing to see a ballet driven musical, which has become a thing of the past in most Broadway shows now.
Tickets are nearly sold out so I urge you to get your tickets immediately, so you don’t miss the best and most exciting cultural event of the year.
Best of all, if you go, you will see it first, as the premiere is in Paris before it goes to New York in the spring.
Till January 4
Chatelet Theatre
1 place du Chatelet, 75001
Metro: Chatelet
http://chatelet-theatre.com/en/event/an-american-in-paris
Christmas/Holiday Tour of Paris for 2014
Paris is magical during the holidays and I am happy to announce a special Christmas/Holiday Tour of Paris for 2014. Clients will experience the marvelous shop windows, gleaming outdoor lights, beautifully decorated trees, and festive Christmas markets. The tour includes a visit to Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores, the Champs Elysees Holiday market, the yummy gourmet shops Fauchon and Hediard on Place Madeleine overflowing with delicious holiday goodies, and the rue St. Honoré, with designer shops Hermes and Lanvin. To warm up, we stop for an authentic hot chocolate at one of the top Paris chocolate shops.
Tour times 10AM-1PM or 2PM-5PM
Cost: 225 euros for 1-3 people, 75 euros each additional person. Hot chocolate is not included in price. Click here to book the tour or for more information.
Tours will be conducted everyday from December 20, 2014 to January 5, 2015 except on Christmas and New Years Day.
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.
Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour
