Villa Albertine San Francisco, and The Gardens of Golden Gate Park invite guests to step into not only the Celebration Garden at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, but the splendor of Versailles through a rare concert blending French baroque music and perfume. 

 

Violinist and perfumer Yoko Lévy-Kobayashi joins the San Francisco–based ensemble Ars Minerva to transport audiences into the world of the French court, in a program where music and fragrance become inseparable arts on the afternoon of Sunday, October 19th, 2025.

 

This unique event evokes the era of Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Marie-Antoinette, with each musical piece paired with historically inspired perfumes crafted by Lévy-Kobayashi. Audiences will not only hear exquisite works by Jean-Baptiste Lully, André-Cardinal Destouches, William Williams, and Delavigne, but also experience the fragrances that once perfumed the salons, gardens, and theaters of the French Royal Court. Versailles in Music and Scent promises to blend sound and aroma into a multisensory experience in one of San Francisco’s most beloved parks.

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Originally performed at the historic L’Orangerie de Trianon greenhouse of Versailles Palace (facing the 17th-century royal Perfumer’s Garden), Bay Area audiences now have the unique opportunity to experience this Parisian concert fit for Kings in their own urban backyard. Surrounded by the living flowers and plants of the San Francisco Botanical Garden, participants will encounter a similar world that captivated the people of the 17th and 18th-century.

 

This event is made possible by Villa Albertine San Francisco, the Gardens of Golden Gate Park, Ars Minerva, and 836M.