OPÉRA DE PARIS

A trip to the opera is memorable in any city, but particularly so in Paris, which offers not one but two opera houses : Opéra Garnier and Opéra Bastille.

Opéra Bastille, the new kid on the block, is a triumph of modern architecture designed by Carlos Ott with incredible attention to acoustics and space. Modern works of music and dance are especially striking in its bold minimalist auditorium. Opéra Garnier, commissioned by Napoleon III, is its opposite – marble, gilded moldings and glittering chandeliers dominate the soaring vaults of this impressive building. Watch a classic ballet or opera in its horse-shoe shaped auditorium, and don’t forget to look up at the famous Marc Chagall ceiling fresco.