“Kaleidoscopic artist”—this expression, used in the French press to describe Damien Luce, sums him up perfectly. Convinced that a human being must live in all the rooms of their inner world, Damien Luce strives to express his sensitivity through his preferred artistic forms: classical music, theater, and literature. His first album, dedicated to Francis Poulenc’s The Story of Babar and Georges Enescu’s Childhood Impressions (with violinist Gaétan Biron), was released in January 2010 (Accord/Universal), concurrently with his first novel, The Burglar, published by Héloïse d’Ormesson. This double release was met with enthusiasm: “The young musician (and actor) displays the most convincing tenderness” (Diapason). Damien Luce was quickly praised for his sensitivity and his “evening elegance.” In 2011, he released two new recordings, one featuring works by Mozart and Haydn, the other Bach’s Sonatas for Violin and Piano (with Gaétan Biron). His second novel, Cyrano de Boudou (also published by Héloïse d’Ormesson), was paired with a stage production: Cyrano de Bergerac, which Damien Luce directed in a clownish style, while also playing the title role. The show premiered at the Théâtre de Nesle before enjoying considerable success (over 1,200 spectators) at the 2012 Avignon OFF Festival. It subsequently played at the Théâtre de Ménilmontant, then the Théâtre des Variétés, and finally the Comédie Saint-Michel, where it reached its 500th performance. The show was awarded the P’tit Molière for Best Show for All Audiences in 2017.
Alternating between concerts, performances, and writing in a humble and harmonious way, Damien Luce refuses to be pigeonholed. His musical training took him from the Paris Conservatory (CNR) to the Juilliard School in New York, familiarizing him with harmony, counterpoint, orchestration, sight-reading, music history, chamber music, and conducting. In theater, Damien Luce trained both in France (Studio Alain de Bock) and in the United States (Academy of Dramatic Arts, Michael Howard Studio). During his studies, he honed his skills in improvisation, clowning, acting for the camera, singing, dancing, the Sanford Meisner technique, physical theatre, mime, and diction, and explored the works of diverse authors such as Racine, Claudel, Anouilh, Ribes, Marivaux, Romains, Albee, and Miller.
Many artists have influenced Damien Luce’s career, including Billy Eidi, Guy Sacre, Claude Helffer, Dominique Merlet, Herbert Stessin, Murray Perahia, Pascal Devoyon, Jacqueline Dussol, Rita Sloan, Laurent Petitgirard, Alain Louvier, Fay Simpson (Lucid Body technique), Fabrice Salé (clown), Alain de Bock, Katherine Gabelle, Steven Ditmyer (Meisner technique), Angela Pietropinto (acting), and David Wells (vocal technique).
2014 saw the creation of a new show, Mr. Debussy at the Théâtre des Variétés, as well as the publication of his third novel, *La Fille de Debussy*, also with Éditions Héloïse d’Ormesson. In 2016, Damien Luce starred in *Bobines*, a duo performance with his brother Renan Luce, directed by Isabelle Nanty and Benjamin Guillard. He then published *Claire de plume*, which received the Folire Prize in 2018. As a playwright, he wrote *La Promesse du papillon* in 2019, a play directed by François Rollin at the Théâtre des Variétés.
As a concert pianist, Damien Luce has performed in numerous countries (France, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, the United States, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Algeria, Togo, etc.), with varied and original repertoires. In 2021, he adapted Maurice Ravel’s opera *L’Enfant et les Sortilèges*, with a libretto by Colette, for young audiences, collaborating with actress/dancer Elsa Godard and choreographer Namiko Gahier-Ogawa. The Paris premiere took place at the Café de la Danse in November 2021.
His fifth novel, *Un drôle de Valentin* (also published by Héloïse d’Ormesson), will be published on April 7, 2022.