Opera National de Paris, Palais Garnier - Paris, France
N 48° 52.276 E 002° 19.937
31U E 451035 N 5413360
The Palais Garnier is an opera house, and a grand landmark of Paris. It is regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time.
Waymark Code: WMVD7
Location: Île-de-France, France
Date Posted: 10/16/2006
Views: 296
Metro : Opera.
Built in Neo-baroque style, it is the thirteenth theatre to house the Paris Opera since it was founded by Louis XIV in 1669. It seats 1,979.
It was often also called the Paris Opera, but since the building of the Opéra Bastille in 1989, it is referred to as the Opéra Garnier.
Designed as part of the great Parisian reconstruction of the Second Empire under Baron Haussmann, the new opera house proceeded from Napoleon III's authorization to Haussmann in 1858 to clear the 12,000 square metres of land on which it was to be built. The project was put out to open competition and it was won by Charles Garnier (1825–1898) in 1861. He was a then-unknown 35-year-old architect, and would go on to also build the Opéra Garnier de Monte-Carlo in Monaco.
The foundation stone was laid in 1861 followed by the start of construction in 1862. After numerous setbacks, construction was completed in 1874; it was interrupted by numerous incidents, including the Franco-Prussian War, the fall of the Empire and the Paris Commune. Another problem was the extremely marshy and swampy ground with underground water or an underground lake beneath the site, which caused continual pumping for eight months before the concrete foundation could be laid. This is said to have required the construction of an underground reservoir below the building; this "lake" later inspired The Phantom of the Opera's lair.
The Palais Garnier was formally inaugurated on January 15, 1875 with a performance of Fromental Halévy's La Juive and excerpts from Giacomo Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots
The large building has a total area of 11,000 square metres (118,404 square feet) and a huge stage with room to accommodate up to 450 artists. An ornate building, the style is monumental, opulently decorated with elaborate multicolored marble friezes, columns, and lavish statuary. The interior is also rich with velvet, gold leaf, and cherubs and nymphs. The auditorium's central chandelier weighs over six tons, and its ceiling was painted in 1964 by Marc Chagall.
Legend has it that the Empress Eugénie asked Garnier whether the building was to be in Greek or Roman style to which he replied: It is in the Napoléon III style Madame!
The Paris Opera also provides the backdrop for the story told in Gaston Leroux's novel, The Phantom of the Opera and the many books and other works based on that novel.
You can visit the interior of the opera every day from 10:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m. except January 1 and May 1, and except when there are rehearsals going on. The self guided visit is €7.00 and the guided visit is €11.00
Theater Name: Palais Garnier
Country: France
Address:
Place de l'Opera
Paris, France
75009
Web Site: [Web Link]
Venue: Community Theater
Type of Productions:
Opera and Ballet
Restored Building: no
Date of Construction: 1874
Architect/Designer: Charles Garnier
Seating Capacity: 1979
Special Productions/Events/Festivals:
Operas
Stage Type: Not listed
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