Palais Garnier, Paris

[bixaorellana]

In 1861 [Charles] Garnier won the competition to build the new Paris opera house. He spent the next 14 years of his life working on this masterpiece, one of the few buildings in the history of architecture named after its designer. source

The Palais Garnier is "probably the most famous opera house in the world, a symbol of Paris like Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, or the Sacré Coeur Basilica." This is at least partly due to its use as the setting for Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera and, especially, the novel's subsequent adaptations in films and Andrew Lloyd Webber's popular 1986 musical. Another contributing factor is that among the buildings constructed in Paris during the Second Empire, besides being the most expensive, it has been described as the only one that is "unquestionably a masterpiece of the first rank." This opinion is far from unanimous however: the 20th-century French architect Le Corbusier once described it as "a lying art" and contended that the "Garnier movement is a décor of the grave". source

Many words, much background, but nothing can prepare one for the exquisitely proportioned opulence of the Opera Garnier. And our host & guide, the indefatigable & charmingly subtle Kerouac, presented it perfectly -- as a surprise with no time to pointlessly intellectualize this delightful experience with internet research.

So come on ~ Let's hit the lobby!























Keep in mind that Htmb was also taking pictures here & that her excellent views can be seen in her Paris Summer 2015 thread.
As I gawped & snapped at the magnificence, Kerouac sidled up to us & pointed out that all the tourists had no idea of what was in store for them.
We followed him so we could see what it was.

Pretty magnificent stuff on the way there ...





And then ... AND THEN ~

[bixaorellana]

Despite the huge space and the gilding and the ornamentation, there was a pleasing balance that kept it from being overwhelming. Well,except that the eyes are hardly ever treated to such sights. If Kerouac sees this, I hope he'll repeat the architect's deservedly self-satisfied words about this space.







Please check back to this thread -- more, much more to come.

[htmb]

Magnificent, Bixa! Through your skill and talent you have managed to captured the rich colors and deep golds perfectly! I cannot wait to see more!!!

[mossie]

This is beyond sumptuousness

[Deleted]

As I recall, when it was finally finished, Charles Garnier said something along the lines of "I must say that I am quite satisfied with the result."

[bixaorellana]

Tastefully understated!

Thank you & thanks to Htmb & Mossie.

Here we glance outside ~



Here we go outside and look up ~







And look askance ~



And look out & down ~

[bixaorellana]

Back inside for a look at where the action takes place --
an area I found surprisingly small considering the size of the rest of the building ~





In Htmb's Paris Summber thread, Fumobici commented on the disgruntlement with Chagall's ceiling.
On that subject,some of you might find the penultimate paragraph in this article interesting.








More to come!

[bjd]

To give you a bit of "history" of the Place de l'Opéra: On the corner at the right beside the subway exit, there used to be an American Express office. This was where Americans (especially) but also Canadians used to meet up and hang around because they could use it as a Poste Restante office. This was in the old days of traveller's cheques.

And a bit down the street down the Avenue de l'Opéra, at No. 44 was Brentano's, an English-language bookstore that closed just a few years ago. In the days when there was no internet, no Amazon, and few places to buy books in English (there was and still is WH Smith on rue de Rivoli), Brentano's was where I went to get my book fix and to buy books in English for my children.

[Deleted]

The term that is used in France to describe such people as the one who wrote that article is "pisse-vinaigre." The Chagall ceiling is a suspended ceiling in any case and the original ceiling has not been harmed in any way, if ever generations in 200 or 300 years want to put it back in sight. Modern technology of "augmented reality" already has ways to display things as they once were. The Château de Vincennes uses it for one room and it could easily be done at the Opéra if enough people wanted it.

[Deleted]

Bjd, Brentano's is still around at 37 avenue de l'Opéra.

[bjd]

Really? I thought they had closed!

[Deleted]

A bit of research showed me that they closed in 2009 and reopened in 2010 under Iranian ownership. All of the other Brentano's in the world have closed.

[bixaorellana]

See there, Bjd ~ if things had worked out, you could have seen me AND gotten a book fix!
I felt quite smug when you mentioned the American Express office, as we crossed the street there & Kerouac filled us in on that bit of history.

Interesting that the Chagall ceiling is suspended! I looked up the original ceiling and, even though it's in the same style as much of the opera house, somehow the Chagall seems more fitting -- certainly lighter & brighter.

[bixaorellana]

I absolutely loved all the hallways, anterooms, & parlors, which had their own fancy ceilings, gorgeous ornamentation,and many busts of composers and performers.
(pee ess, folks ~ I won't mind in the least if anyone wants to correct me on architectural terms, dates, etc.

[bixaorellana]

[bixaorellana]

It was gently explained to me that no, I could not move in and that in fact it was time to go.
Let's take a last look, though ~

[bixaorellana]

Details and artistry continue to grab attention on the way out ~









Bring your boyfriend to Paris so someone can take your picture as you endlessly pose at all those boring old monuments.


Yes, there is a gift shop ~


And out into the world again ~

*sigh* ~ That's all, folks!

[htmb]

Out of this world, Bixa!!! Great job.

[questa]

Brain popping! The way you have arranged the tour for us...very clever. I love the busts, what expressions the artist has captured and their pale coolness after all the riotous colour elsewhere. What a trip! Well done.

[Deleted]

You covered the subject brilliantly, Bixa. I especially liked your series of marble statues. I assume that the Carrara quarries in Italy were completely depleted by the time Charles Garnier was done.

[bjd]

But coming from Oaxaca, didn't you find it all a bit *ahem* understated?

[tod2]

Fabulous insight Bixa! Photos are really really wonderful.
Was this a guided tour or did you just stroll in??

[Deleted]

If anybody finds the Palais Garnier too big, you can always pop into the Hanoi Opera, which was inspired by Garnier.

i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/kerouac2/Hanoi/diversimp017.jpg

[mossie]

Congratulations on a real tour de force Bixa.
Super photos and it also makes one wonder at the skill of the people who carved and polished the marble, the figures are almost lifelike.

[bixaorellana]

Gosh, you all ~ THANK YOU!

Bjd, I have to say that my inner Leo was in a positive frenzy of appreciation.

As for the statues, I didn't even select "the best" of the busts, just took some at random -- mostly determined by how well they were lighted. There are others that are just as magnificently lifelike.

And Kerouac yes -- the statuary grabs the attention, but there are all those balustrades, stairs, etc. etc., so you're right that whole quarries must have been depleted.

Tod, yeah we just strolled in but ... we had the guide di tutti guides!

[tod2]

...Of course you did!! Lucky gals I say.

[nycgirl]

Wow, what a spectacular feast for the eyes! This place looks just as luxurious as the palace of Versailles. You did a wonderful job of capturing all the details.

I tried to get tickets to a show playing there while I was in Paris, but unfortunately it was sold out. I opted not to go in, although I did check out the nice gift shop. Now I fully realize what I missed. It would have been amazing to take in a show in such an opulent setting. Hopefully one day...

Thanks for including that article, it was interesting. I didn't know the opera was commissioned in response to an assassination attempt on Napoleon III.

[bixaorellana]

NYCGirl, I don't know what the procedure there would be when there is a performance -- whether or not parts or all are closed to the public. However, having seen the place I would recommend going at a time when you can take in all the magnificence leisurely. I don't know if it would be more atmospheric at night, but I thought seeing it in natural light was a boon. It would be worth finding out if ticket holders for a performance would have the entire opera house to themselves before the performance, thus being able to combine the sightseeing aspect with the main event.

[tod2]

Bixa & Nycgirl - My "Let's Go Paris" guide book says thus about Palais Garnier.

"You can tour it during the day, but going at night is a whole different ball game.
The chandeliers dim, the stage lights up, and you are thrown back to the fin de siecle with ballet performances, chamber music concerts and recitals. Although no longer performances of opera, it still draws crowds of older adults and the lucky holders of youth rush tickets who are interested in more than just the ornate architecture of the building."

Whether this means there is some performance or another every night and no touring, or whether one can see the interior occasionally at night when nothing is on ...I don't know.
I would think they clear the building at a certain time every day for the evening performances.

[Deleted]

Well, it's open for visits until 17:00 and night has fallen by then in December.