Rendez-vous with Rosary O’Neill and Rory Schmitt

Join us at Alliance Française for an engaging bilingual authors talk and book signing with Rory O’Neill Schmitt, PhD, and Rosary O’Neill, PhD. Presented in both French and English, this special evening brings to life the remarkable story of the Baroness Micaëla Almonester de Pontalba—a New Orleans-born figure whose legacy bridges Louisiana and France.

Married at just 15 in St. Louis Cathedral, Micaëla relocated with her French husband to his family home at the Château de Mont-l’Évêque. After surviving a brutal assassination attempt, she emerged as a figure of extraordinary resilience, vision, and determination. Returning to New Orleans, the Baroness went on to design and build the iconic Pontalba Apartments overlooking Jackson Square. Her legacy endures on both sides of the Atlantic, from New Orleans to Paris, where her own residence she designed, the Hôtel de Pontalba, now serves as the home of the U.S. Ambassador to France.

The authors, who are Fulbright Scholars, completed extensive research for this thriller. Supported by the Pontalba family in France, and with a foreword by the Baroness's great-grandson, Pierre de Pontalba, Dr. Schmitt and Dr. O'Neill conducted extensive on-site research, including visits to the château itself - and the murder room. 

The evening will include a presentation, followed by a Q&A in French and English, and a book signing with the authors.