LIVE PERFORMANCE

EXPERIENCE PARIS’ S WORLD-CLASS CULTURAL SCENE BY ENJOYING AN U NFORGETTABLE EVENING AT THE PARIS OPERA, THEATRE OR BALLET.

1. Opera

OP E RA While visitors may be seduced by the grand historic facades and the Versaillelike opulence of the famous Opera Garnier, the current home of the Opéra National de Paris lies in the modern Opera Bastille Both venues present a vibrant program of world-class performances, including Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’ and Puccini’s ‘La Bohème’, where opera performances are staged within the fairytale Opera Garnier. Visit the Paris Opera website to discover the Paris Opera’s 2014/2015 season schedule. Ticket prices range from €5 - €150. operadeparis.fr

BA LLE T One of the world’s most prestigious ballet companies, the Paris Opera Ballet enjoys a prestigious home in the iconic Opera Garnier. Designed in gold and marble, lovers of traditional ballet will be in their element within the hushed auditorium of red velvet, where recent performances have included ‘Illusions Perdu’ by the Bolshoi and Nureyev’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’. With performances staged at both Opera Garnier and the Opera Bastille (Paris’s modern opera house), visit the Paris Opera Ballet’s website to discover their latest schedule of performances. operadeparis.fr

3. Classical Music

C L ASSICA L M U SIC You’ll nd world-class performances of classical music in Paris, many performed within the city’s grand concert halls and historic churches. Discover the resident Orchestre de Paris at the Salle Pleyel, or revel in the classic gilt and red velvet of the grand éâtre du Châtelet. Piano lovers favour the intimate Salle Gaveau, where world-famous musicians frequently perform. e elegant éâtre des Champs-Élysées is an Art Deco icon and home to the Orchestre National de France. One of Paris’s most impressive concert settings is the colossal L’église de la Madeleine, where painted domes and Corinthian columns set a dramatic backdrop during its organ recitals and classical concerts. sallepleyel.fr | chatelet-theatre.com | sallegaveau.com | theatrechampselysees.fr | eglise-lamadeleine.com

4. eatre comedie-francaise.fr | theatredurondpoint.fr | theatre-chaillot.fr | athenee-theatre.com | letrianon.fr

T HE ATR E Home to the world’s oldest continuous repertory company, the historic Comédie-Francaise has hosted many of France’s most famous actors and staged many of the city’s most important theatre productions. For contemporary theatre performances, visit the éâtre du Rond-Point or the imposing éâtre National de Chaillot, where the Ei el Tower creates a glittering backdrop. Art Nouveau enthusiasts will love the éâtre de l’Athénée Louis-Jouvet, where Oscar Wilde’s premiere of Salome was rst staged. Le Trianon is a Belle Epoque gem on the edgy Boulevard de Rochechouart, where you can expect performances as diverse as circus acts, one-man shows, drama theatre and musicals.

5. Dance

DA N C E An iconic Parisian venue that showcases an eclectic program of classical and contemporary ballet performances, the éâtre du Châtelet stages world-class dance performances and features dramatic red velvet and gilt interiors. Discover the gilded home of the world-class Paris Opera Ballet company at the historic Opera Garnier, or at its second home, the modern Opera Bastille e towering facade of the éâtre National de Chaillot and the éâtre de la Ville are other major performance venues for the city’s contemporary dance scene, while the Centre National de la Danse is a powerhouse of dance performances of all forms, incorporating exhibitions, workshops, training and live performances at its base in northeast Paris. chatelet-theatre.com | operadeparis.fr | cnd.fr | theatre-chaillot.fr | theatredelaville-paris.com

NEE D TO K N OW

B ackstage Tour: Go behind-thescenes at Paris’s most magnificent performance theatres and cultural institutions such as the Opera Garnier, The Lido and the Paris School of Fine Arts as part of a guided tour with Cultivate tour company (cultivate.com).