Commissioned in 1861 by Napoleon III, Charles Garnier, the Opera house was nothing short of an architectural delight – no doubt influenced by the beaux-arts.

So much so that it was nicknamed the Palais Garnier a name which has stuck over the years, overthrowing its original name Salle des Capucines.

He went to the Opera Garnier for shelter and soon started haunting the corridors with an eerie cry.Probably the most famous opera house in the world, Opera Garnier, or Palais Garnier, is one of the most impressive landmarks in Paris and symbolises Second Empire opulence. Real stories and myths are blurred in Gaston Leroux’s novel, and until his very last day, he claimed that the Phantom of the Opera really existed.įor example, at the end of the 19th century, there was a mysterious individual who systematically demanded 20,000 francs every month from the board of directors and reserved every evening the box no.5Īnother tale is that a pianist known as Ernest was hurt and widowed in the fire that destroyed the Opera Pelletier in 1873. He builds his home in a fantastic palace in the middle of a subterranean lake, just beneath the Opera, and takes the love of his life, a beautiful soprano named Christine, under his wing. The novel tells the story of Erik, an eccentric, physically deformed genius who terrorizes the Opera Garnier in Paris. The Phantom of the Opera novel, which was written by Gaston Leroux in 1910, is said to have been inspired by a true story event. The Opera Garnier Has a Mysterious Resident Season ticket holders went to the opera 2-3 times a week, not because there were different performances or were opera fans, but to show off and socialize!ġ0. Once in the Auditorium, it is hard to miss the Emperor’s box, not placed in the middle of the hall for a perfect view and acoustic but rather to the left, beside the front of the stage, visible from almost every seat on the Auditorium.ĭuring the show, the lights remained lit in order to facilitate the popular activity of people-watching.įinally, the Grand Foyer is the perfect place for socializing during the intermissions. The steps are shallow, so when women would go upstairs, their ankles barely showed. The Grand Staircase is in a great open hall, surrounded by balconies over four floors, perfect for observing and admiring the arrival of important guests. The Grand Escalier was a triumphal entrance, with the perfect design to see and be seen. The Garnier Opera House in Paris was not just about music but also a show of class, the perfect place to showcase its public. The Garnier Opera House is Designed to Watch the Spectators

Music sculpture paris opera house