For several weeks now, it has been impossible to walk down the streets of Paris or open a major magazine without coming across the face of Omar Harfouch. With his cropped brown hair, an ultra-bright smile and crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes, this wealthy 55-year-old Lebanese businessman buys ads everywhere, from newspapers to billboards and radio spots, to sell his products. Concert for peace organized on September 18 at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. “An original creation by Omar Harfouch”It is celebrated in large yellow letters, as if the name of this amateur pianist and composer were known to music lovers. In reality, this man of means with a mysterious fortune, built up over a journey that took him from Moscow to kyiv, from Paris to Dubai, is more accustomed to the political and celebrity circles than to the cultural ones.
The Théâtre des Champs-Elysées does not mention the event on its website. For one simple reason: the venue was privatised for the occasion. None of its 1,900 seats are for sale. Omar Harfouch invites everyone, at his own expense, even to send cars with drivers, to hear him perform a composition of his own with the Béziers Symphony Orchestra. His “friend” Robert Ménard, the mayor of the city, who has long been close to the National Rally (RN), put the musicians at their disposal.
“There will be important people, famous people, people from politics: they will listen to my message”, The interpreter promises, transmitting a long list of“confirmed guests”, which also lists its share of singers, actors and television stars. The problem is that François Hollande or Valérie Pécresse, for example, who were mentioned as present, were not planning to come. No more so than the Macronist MP Karl Olive – “nothing on the agenda on the subject, no invitation”, the latter responds – or former Prime Minister Manuel Valls. “I don’t see what this is about.”, wonders the former tenant of Matignon, before finding an email sent by the writer Marek Halter, whom he had no intention of following up on.
“Harfouch invests in its brand”
Why communicate about an event where tickets are not on sale? According to him, Omar Harfouch had planned to open a ticket office, but decided against it for security reasons. The Paris Police Prefecture was reportedly concerned about the large number of people in attendance. “sensitive personalities” – contacted, the latter did not respond to our requests. The management of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées claims that there was never any talk of marketing any site. “Harfouch invests in its brand to appear richer and more connected than it really is and to offer other business opportunities behind it. deciphers a good connoisseur of the character. It’s a Donald Trump-style operation. »
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