Paris_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Lonely Planet [224]
Return to beginning of chapter
OPERA
The Opéra National de Paris (ONP) splits its performance schedule between the Palais Garnier, its original home (completed in 1875), and the modern Opéra Bastille, which opened in 1989. Both opera houses also stage ballets and classical-music concerts performed by the ONP’s affiliated orchestra and ballet companies. The season runs from September to July.
OPÉRA BASTILLE Map
08 92 89 90 90, 01 72 29 35 35; www.opera-de-paris.fr, in French; 2-6 place de la Bastille, 12e; opera €5-150, ballet €5-80, concert tickets €10-65; Bastille
Despite some initial resistance to this 3400-seat venue, the main opera house in the capital, it’s now performing superbly. While less alluring than the Palais Garnier (opposite), at least all seats have a view of the stage. Ticket sales begin at a precise date prior to each performance, with different opening dates for bookings by telephone, online or from the box office (Map; 130 rue de Lyon, 11e; 10.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat). Box office sales start 14 days before the performance date. The cheapest opera seats are €7 and are sold only from the box office. Note: on the first day they are released, box office tickets can be bought only from the opera house at which the performance is to be held. At Bastille, standing-only tickets for €5 are available 1½ hours before performances begin. Just 15 minutes before the curtain goes up, last-minute seats at reduced rates (usually €20 for opera and ballet performances) are released to people aged under 28 or over 60.
OPÉRA COMIQUE Map
08 25 01 01 23; www.opera-comique.com; place Boïeldieu, 2e; tickets €6-95; Richelieu Drouot
This century-old hall has premiered many important French operas. It continues to host classic and less-known operas. Buy tickets online or from the box office (5 rue Favart, 2e; 11am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 2pm & 3-7pm Sat, 1hr before performances) on the southwest side of the theatre. Subject to availability, students and those under 28 can buy tickets for less than €15.
PALAIS GARNIER Map
08 92 89 90 90; www.opera-de-paris.fr; place de l’Opéra, 9e; Opéra
The city’s original opera house is smaller and more glamorous than its Bastille counterpart, and boasts perfect acoustics. Due to its odd shape, however, some seats have limited or no visibility. Ticket prices and conditions (including last-minute discounts) at the box office ( 11am-6.30pm Mon-Sat) are identical to those at the Opéra Bastille (opposite).
Return to beginning of chapter
THEATRE
Most theatre productions, including those originally written in other languages, are performed in French in Paris. But there is the odd itinerant English-speaking troupe around, and some theatres, such as the celebrated Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord (right), stage the occasional English-language production.
COMÉDIE FRANÇAISE Map
08 25 10 16 80; www.comedie-francaise.fr, in French; place Colette, 1er; tickets €5-37; box office 11am-6pm; Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre
Founded in 1680 under Louis XIV, the ‘French Comedy’ theatre bases its repertoire around the works of classic French playwrights such as Molière, Racine, Corneille, Beaumarchais, Marivaux and Musset, though in recent years contemporary and even – shock, horror! – non-French works have been staged.
There are three venues: the main Salle Richelieu on place Colette just west of the Palais Royal; the Studio Théâtre (Map; 01 44 58 98 58; Galerie du Carrousel du Louvre, 99 rue de Rivoli, 1er; box office 2-5pm Wed-Sun; Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre) and the Théâtre du Vieux Colombier (Map; 01 44 39 87 00; 21 rue du Vieux Colombier, 6e; box office 11am-6pm; St-Sulpice).
Tickets for regular seats cost €11 to €37; tickets for the 65 places near the ceiling (€5) go on sale one hour before curtain time (usually 8.30pm) at the discount ticket window (Map) around the corner from the main entrance and facing place