Opéra de Paris Garnier Sophia Kiernan Hour 8 Independent Study French 3

What is the Opéra? 1,979-seat opera house built between 1861 and 1875 to house the Paris Opera. It is called many names: Opéra de Paris Garnier, Opéra de Paris, Opéra Garnier, or just Opéra. All of these refer to the same building. It is one of the most recognized monuments of Paris. It was eventually replaced by a new theatre, the Opéra Bastille, but is still used for ballets.

Who created the Opéra? The building was commissioned under the orders of Napoleon III as part of his great Paris Reconstruction Program. Baron Haussmann was put in charge of the Reconstruction. The project was put out to competition for a contract, was given to unknown architect Garnier. Building took 15 years, but was interrupted by several events, including the 1870 war and the fall of the Empire of Napoleon III.

What is the Opéra used for? It was originally built to house the Paris Opéra, a the primary and largest opera company in Paris. The Paris Opéra produces classical operas and ballets. However, a new modern theater called the Opéra Bastille opened in 1989 to accommodate more elaborate sets. The Opéra Garnier is still used for smaller operas, but more commonly ballets.

Where is the Opéra? It is located at the Place de Opéra, a square in the 9 th arrondissement. It is on the Boulevard des Capucines. The nearest Metro stop is conveniently named “Opéra.”

Why was the Opéra built? The Opéra was originally built as part of Napoleon’s plan to stimulate the French economy and give people jobs. It was planned to house the Paris Opéra and Paris Ballet. Now it is a major representation of the beautiful architecture of Paris. It is a large tourist attraction, and also includes the Bibliothèque-Musée de l'Opéra de Paris, a part of the National Libraires of France.

What is the the Opéra’s significance? The Opéra symbolizes the best of French architecture, and the importance of the arts to French people. It is perhaps the most recognized building next to Notre Dame in Paris. The building also became the most influential architecture for the next 30 years. Many buildings have been modeled after it, including the Library of Congress, National Opera House of Kiev in Ukraine, and several buildings in Poland.

Interesting Facts Architect Charles Garnier left his signature in the ceiling of the building. The Opéra has 17 floors and takes up 3 acres of land. 7 of the 17 floors are located below ground. Workers discovered underground lake beneath the building during construction.

The Phantom of the Opera Gaston Leroux’s famous novel “The Phantom of the Opera” is set at the Opéra de Garnier. This book was eventually made into a well-known musical by Andrew Lloyd Weber. It is the longest running musical on Broadway, reaching over 10,000 showings in February 2012, and the highest grossing show of all time

The Opéra by the Numbers Seats: 1,900 Stage: 60 meters high with a 15 meter under stage Grand Foyer: 18 meters high, 54 meters long,13 meters high. Surface Area: 11,237 m2 Weight of Chandelier: 8,000 tons Grand Staircase: 30 meters high

Works Cited Hatab, Simon. "The Opera: Palais Garnier: Presentation." Opera National de Paris. Opera National de Paris, n.d. Web. 10 May "Opéra de Paris Garnier." N.p., Web. 11 May "Palais Garnier." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 11 May "The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)." Wikipedia. N.p., Web. 13 May Webber, Andrew Lloyd. "Paris Opera House." Phantom Of the Opera. N.p., Web. 13 May