Last night, Anna Wintour helped ring Baz Luhrmann’s 60 birthday, and the night was arguably the best Luhrmannian. Place? The Nines, a piano bar with leopard-print carpet on Great Jones Street. Guest list? His previous leading actors and actresses, including Hugh Jackman (Australia), Claire Danes (Romeo + Juliet) and Olivia de Jung ( Elvis ) – plus generally mythical figures like his wife Katherine Martin; Florence Welch ; Dita von Tees;
Guests arrive at The Nines around 9pm, cocktails and a mini version of caviar baked potatoes circulated in the room. The first to arrive were Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz. Soon after, the likes of Vera Wang (in silver), Jeremy O. Harris (in a velvet tie, white tie) and Jordan Roth were joined. ) Moulin Rouge! The musical that follows Luhrmann’s iconic film comes in an ensemble that pays homage to some of the director’s greatest works. “The hair is Elvis and the coat is Moulin Rouge !” he explained. Nearby, two partygoers wore identical Paco Rabbane dresses (one silver, the other gold), while Bee Carrozini shone in red sequins. The dress code is very open–just “dress up!”–but the crowd knows that dressing for Baz means glamour: showgirls met foreman and lots of drama!
Lurhmann’s 60th birthday is It’s a well-known addition to his unique oeuvre following the release of his latest film Elvis ; when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this summer, Rock’n’Roll’s Laughter received minutes of standing ovation.
As Luhrmann’s lifelong friend and collaborator Craig Pearce said at last night’s As the party told the group, it was Luhrmann’s unique vision that set him apart. “I’ve never seen someone as brave as Buzz with an almost superhuman grit to carry out an idea,” said Pierce, who worked with the director of Romeo + Juliet . “Rain and storm, storm, flood and metaphorical fire, but always with such a big heart that you brought us all with you.”
Then, suddenly, the piano was occupied, and the cast of the Moulin Rouge now in production! The Musical (Derek Klena, Tasia Jungbauer, Jeigh Madjus, Ashley Loren and Jessica Lee Goldyn) appears. When they opened with “Lady Marmalade,” the room began to rock and applaud. What follows is a special performance of “One Day I’ll Fly Away,” which isn’t part of the Broadway musical, but Nicole Kidman sings so engrossingly in the film that it needs its moment. In the end, Klena and Loren ended it all with “Elephant Love Medley,” and the room was plunged into a giddy chant along with the mashup. (Special mention to Welch and Harris for really getting into the spirit.) The last song? “Time and time again” instead of “Happy Birthday” accompanied by Charlotte Neuville’s huge (18 inch diameter) cake printed with 6 – 0 and fireworks that sparkle almost like the man of the year.
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