A salon is an intimate, intellectually vibrant gathering where people come together to exchange bold ideas, challenge conventions, and revel in culture. Unlike formal lectures or academic panels, salons are conversational by nature — blending performance, discussion, and debate in an atmosphere that’s both stimulating and social. Born in the living rooms of infamous women, salons thrive on curiosity, wit, and the joy of shared discovery. Whether sparked by a piece of music, a provocative question, or a historical scandal, the heart of the salon is dialogue — and the freedom to follow wherever it leads.
From Forbidden Affairs to Fistfights in the Pit — The truth behind classical music. Only at Salon BRAVISSIMO!.
Owing to their social permeability, salons became important forums for pre-Revolutionary thought in France. After the demise of court patronage, but preceding the maturity of the publishing industry, salons also functioned to help publishers, patrons, and readers to seek out authors to help to produce and distribute their works.
The role of the “salonnière” proved controversial from the start. Some argued that the salon offered women an education and as such an escape route from a fixed place in society. To others, like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, her presence represented the empty idleness of the aristocracy.
Gradually, the role of salonnière was usurped by different characters. In Parisian social circles, the courtesan (“grande horizontale”) reached an unprecedented level of acceptance. Born in a Moscow ghetto, Esther Lachmann was of Polish Jewish descent. She became the star courtesan of her era. Sharing an apartment with the pianist Henri Herz in Paris, she invited prominent guests to attend her salon – these included Richard Wagner, Hans von Bülow, and Théophile Gautier.
Salon BRAVISSIMO!, is dedicated to uncovering the untold, dramatic, and often outrageous stories behind classical music’s most iconic figures — bringing history to life through curiosity, conversation, and a touch of irreverence.
Tickets: Suggested donation $15
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