Natalie Portman Celebrates Benjamin Millepied’s New Post

Last week actress Natalie Portman joined husband Benjamin Millepied at a private cocktail and dinner celebrating his new appointment as Director of Dance at the Paris Opera Ballet. The actress, who met Millepied during the filming of Black Swan, joined her husband at the Consulate General of France for cocktails and dinner with luxury watchmaker Vacheron Constantin.

Millepied, who danced at the New York City Ballet, helped train Portman as one of the main choreographers on Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. Millepied also had a small role in the film. Millepied’s position as Director of the Paris Opera Ballet, the oldest national ballet company in the world, will begin in September 2014.

One of the highlights of the evening was a performance by violinist Tim Fain, who appeared and collaborated with Mr. Millepied in the film Black Swan. Fain performed selections from “Partita for Solo Violin” to a montage of films directed and choreographed by Mr. Millepied.

Guests included President of Vacheron Constantin North America Hugues de Pins, Consul General of France Bertrand Lortholary, Chairman of the American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet Olivia Flatto, Renee Fleming, Lesley Stahl, Lily Safra, Anne Bass, Christopher Wheeldon, Sebastien Marcovici, and Janie Taylor.

Constantin is a principal sponsor of the Paris Opera & Ballet. The Swiss manufacture had several timepieces on view during the evening, including the Métiers d’Art Hommage à l’Art de la Danse “Two Dancers on Stage,” newly created to honor the partnership between Vacheron Constantin and the Paris Opera & Ballet.

Photo credit: ©Patrick Mcmullan.