Dangerous Liaisons: How Starz Celebrated the Series Premiere With an 18th-Century Parisian Ball

NEW YORK—Les Liaisons Dangereuses originally debuted as a four-volume novel in 1782 by Pierre Choderlos de Laclo, detailing the tirade between ex-lovers the Marquise de Merteuli and the Victome de Valmont as they sought petty revenge on one another by exploiting romantic rivals through a dangerous web of deception, reputations, pursuit of power, and sexual politics.

It later premiered as the 1988 romance film Dangerous Liaisons with the same plotline, plus inspired the ‘89 movie Valmont and the ‘99 American teen drama Cruel Intentions. On Nov. 6, the story was resurrected yet again as a Starz series prequel where it’s not love, but war.

Set in 1700s Paris, the prelude of Laclo’s novel tells the story of the Marquise de Merteuli and the Victome de Valmont as passionate young lovers, rising from the slums to the height of French aristocracy—a social climb that wouldn’t have been possible without deception, seduction, and manipulation. What's a premiere without a red carpet? At the Dangerous Liaisons premiere, a 50-foot carpet in front of a themed step and repeat welcomed guests.Photo: Anders KrusbergMasquerade masks awaited guests at their tables. Weston Gonzalez, the owner and creative director of westhaus—the event production company behind the evening—said it “was a fun nod to a future episode—and perfectly timed considering Halloween was just a few days away.” (The event took place on Oct. 26.)Photo: Anders Krusberg

Ahead of the period melodrama’s debut, a premiere fit for the bourgeoisie took place at Cipriani Wall Street on Oct. 26, inviting 300 mesdames and messieurs. Weston Gonzalez, the owner and creative director of westhaus—the event production company behind the evening—told BizBash that everything about the event “leaned into the time period,” including the venue selection, which wasn’t your typical theater experience. But “ultimately, Cipriani had the opulence we felt would work best for the aesthetic,” Gonzalez said.

That aesthetic? Well, 18th-century France, of course! To evoke “a screening experience that felt more like an 18th-century ball, the seating plan was composed of long tables” that were adorned “with lush arrangements and fresh fruit.” In addition, “unlike most screenings, [we] added some light refreshments that included bottles of bubbles and tiers of savory and sweet petit fours, which were perfectly representative of a Parisian ball,” Gonzalez explained.Florals dripped in the light pink and deep red hues frequently worn by the characters in the show. And in a further nod to the time period, vases were baroque in their design.Photo: Anders Krusberg

Beyond a 50-foot red carpet upon entering, guests were immersed in the baroque style of the times—from a string trio and opera singer to a projection screen flanked by pillars, tables covered in a luxuriously patterned fabric, and candelabras. Guests—who included talent, network executives, press, influencers, and partners on an invite-only list—were asked to come dressed in their best 18th-century garb. Gonzalez also noted that character actors were in attendance and dressed according to code, “roaming around helping guests find their seats.”

Masquerade masks also awaited guests at their tables, making for a photo moment in what Gonzalez said “was a fun nod to a future episode—and perfectly timed considering Halloween was just a few days away.”

The theme was ever-present in the fare, as well. “We worked closely with Cipriani to design a menu that felt traditionally French,” Gonzalez said, pointing to passed foods that included croque-monsieurs, caviar, pommes frites, and tuna tartare, as well as four buffet areas “that were meant to highlight and pay homage to classic French cuisine.”About 300 guests were invited to the affair, including talent, network executives, press, influencers, and partners. They were asked to come dressed in their best 18th-century garb.Photo: Anders Krusberg

Gonzalez described: “We had a beef carving station called 'le boeuf;' a 'saumon station' with medallions of salmon and accompaniments; a 'boulangerie and fromagerie' boasting a variety of breads, cheeses, spreads, nuts, and salads; and a 'pâtisserie café' with coffee and dozens of desserts, including tarts, meringues, cream puffs, and eclairs.”

Not to be forgotten—an “open bar that included French wines and a French martini, [plus] kir royales and boulevardiers as our specialty cocktails.”

There was certainly no shortage of devilish details, but Gonzalez said that his “favorite nod to the show was the tickets.” He added: “The series centers around these letters, and we wanted to think of a clever way to let guests know where they were seated without it being a standard screening ticket.”

The result? “Letter-inspired tickets printed on old, distressed paper, with a handwritten-style font, [that were] folded to resemble a letter.” Gonzalez said he also made sure to source stickers that looked like wax seals for tickets that could’ve been pulled out of a time capsule from the Dangerous Liaisons era.

The creative director also pointed out that detailed touches, such as the wax seals, go a long way in “showing the client and the creators that we're embracing the content and highlighting their work.”Food and beverage was also quintessentially French. For example, an on-site bar served up French wines. On the cocktail menu: French martinis, kir royales, and boulevardiers.Photo: Anders KrusbergThe Parisian ball theme was ever-present—from a string trio and opera singer to a projection screen flanked by pillars, tables covered in a luxuriously patterned fabric, and candelabras.Photo: Anders Krusberg

Want to see more of that work for yourself? Catch Dangerous Liaisons on Starz on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

VENDORS
Candelabras: Regal Candelabra
Florist: Peartree
Furniture Rentals: Luxe Rentals
Lighting, Sound, & Rigging: Star Group Productions
Linens: BBJ
Photo Activation: StudioBooth
Red Carpet Wall Built & Graphics: Messex Industries
String Trio & Opera: East Coast Entertainment
Tech & Screening Build: Sensory InnovationNaturally, the cast of Dangerous Liaisons took to the red carpet. The series premiered to the public on Starz on Nov. 6, and new episodes will be released on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.Photo: Anders Krusberg