Jeanine De Bique on stage at the Amis du Louvre gala
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For the first time since becoming a member of the Société des Amis du Louvre (Friends of the Louvre Society), I attended the organization's annual gala.

Gala invitation
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What attracted me to this year's event was the news that Jeanine De Bique, the inimitable soprano opera singer, was going to perform.

The concert was to be held in the Salle Piazzetta, which is dedicated to large-format 18th-century works by Italian artists from the Baroque period.  The gala celebrated the unveiling of Giambattista Tiepolo's Junon au milieu des nuée (Juno in the Clouds) in this room as well as the larger accomplishments of past acquisitions and recent renovations in this part of the museum itself that were funded by the Society.

Visitors got to experience the architectural renovations immediately upon arrival at the museum.  We were directed to enter at the Porte des Lions in the Denon Wing.

Queuing at the Porte des Lions
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Signage at the Porte des Lions
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This area has been completely reconfigured to allow quick access to the renovated 17th and 18th century Italian and Spanish painting galleries on the 1st floor of the Denon wing as well as to the new Galerie des Cinq Continents (Gallery of the Five Continents) on the ground floor.

Entrance to the Galerie des Cinq Continents
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The Society invited guests to arrive an hour before the concert was to begin to allow time to visit this new gallery, which was formerly called the Pavillon des Sessions.

Representing a partnership between the Louvre and the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, it presents works from these two museums as well as the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts, the National Maritime Museum, the National Library of France, the Musée d’Aquitaine, and the Boulogne-sur-Mer Museum. Several exquisite works on loan from the Federal Republic of Nigeria are also on display.

Malo sculpture
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Obo head - Nigeria
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At around 7:25 PM, museum staff began directing the crowd to the Salle Piazzetta.  Everyone settled in expectantly.

Crowd taking seats for the concert
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After short speeches by Society President Gérard Araud and Adjunct Director of Paintings Stéphane Loire, the concert began.

Société des Amis du Louvre President Gérard Araud
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De Bique hails from Trinidad.  She studied singing and piano at the Manhattan School of Music and was formerly a member of the ensemble at the Staatsoper in Vienna.  She has performed on stages throughout Europe and across the U.S., and her first album—Mirrors (2021)—has won multiple awards.

Jeanine De Bique at the Société des Amis du Louvre gala
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Her fondness for the Baroque style coupled beautifully with the music selected for the program and the setting for the concert.  Pieces by Vivaldi, Handel, Graun, and Corelli were performed by Julien Chauvin and his Concert de la Loge orchestra, and she absolutely mesmerized the audience with the arias she sang.

Jeanine De Bique singing
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The following is the program that was presented:

At the end of the concert, she was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

Jeanine De Bique with flowers
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This was followed by a champagne reception in the entrance hall of the Porte des Lions.

Staff ready to serve champagne
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Jeanine De Bique acknowledging praise at the reception
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Jeanine De Bique at the reception
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It was an enchanting evening!