This article is a brief introduction to the Opera District, a diverse neighborhood situated in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, with the old opera house (Opera Garnier) as its crowning jewel. The shopping areas and flagship department stores of the Grands Boulevards are also located here.
The original Opera house, after which the district is named (more about the history of this edifice below), can be found in the southern part of the 9th arrondissement (shared with the 2nd and the 8th). Pigalle, the vanishing red-light district and an affordable shopping area is located in the north of the 9th, closely adjoining Montmartre on the hill above. In between the two, relatively-speaking, lies the Opera district, filled with history, activity and shopping.
The focal point of this area is The Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra de Paris or Opéra Garnier, but more commonly as the Paris Opéra, a 2,200 seat opera house designed by Charles Garnier in the Neo-Baroque style. Completed in 1875, it is widely regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time. An ornate building, the Palais Garnier's style is considered Beaux-Arts because it incorporates classical principles such as symmetry in design with exterior ornamentation.
It has changed names more than once over the years. At its inauguration, the opera house was officially christened the Académie Nationale de Musique - Théâtre de l'Opéra. It retained the title until 1978 when it was re-named the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris. When the new Opéra Bastille was completed in 1989, and the opera company chose the new location as their principal venue, the theatre was re-named as the Palais Garnier. You can choose one of our apartments in Paris to see the building in all its splendor. However, its more official name, the Académie Nationale de Musique, is still written above the columns of its front façade. In spite of the many name changes, and the defection of the opera company to the Opéra Bastille, the Palais Garnier is still referred to affectionately by many Parisians as the “Paris Opéra”.
King Louis XIV gave a patent to Jean-Baptiste Lully to establish the Académie Royale de Musique in 1672, the great institution of French theatrical arts that included the development of opera, ballet, and music. A Paris apartment long term rental allows you to absorb the true grace and historical majesty of this area. Although the opera held its own company upon its founding in 1669, the ballet of that time was merely an extension of it, having yet to evolve into an independent form of art. However Louis XIV, one of the great architects of baroque ballet (which would one day evolve into classical ballet), established the ballet school in 1661 as the Académie Royale de Danse. From 1671 until Lully's death in 1687, the school was under the direction of the great dancing master Pierre Beauchamp, who set down the five positions of the feet, and to whom all dancers are indebted.
The Palais Garnier itself was designed as part of the great Parisian reconstruction of the Second French Empire begun by Emperor Napoleon III, who chose the great city planner Baron Haussmann to supervise the reconstruction. A number of paris apartments look out over these spectacularly laid out streets. A design competition was held in 1861, and was won by the architect Charles Garnier. Legend has it that the Emperor's wife, the Empress Eugénie, asked Garnier whether the building would be in the Greek or Roman style, to which he replied: "It is in the Napoleon III style Madame!"
The construction of the opera house was plagued by numerous setbacks. One major problem which postponed the laying of the concrete foundation was the extremely swampy ground, beneath which flowed a subterranean lake. It took eight months of continual pumping to remove the water. The underground lake and other elements of the Opera House inspired Gaston Leroux to write his classic Gothic novel, The Phantom of the Opera.
An incentive to complete the Palais Garnier came in 1873, when the old Paris Opéra was destroyed by a fire which raged for 27 hours, leaving much of Paris in despair. By late 1874 Garnier and his massive workforce completed the Palais Garnier, to the celebration of Paris. The Palais Garnier was formally inaugurated on January 15, 1875 with a lavish gala performance.
Other design elements have been added over the years, sometimes (as is so often the case) to controversial effects. The ceiling, which surrounds the chandelier, was given a new design in 1964 by Marc Chagall. Chagall’s addition proved controversial, with many people feeling his work clashed with the more baroque style of the rest of the theatre.
But shopping is yet another reason people flock to the Opera district. And your Paris apartment rental Opera means you won’t have to walk far to bring back your many great finds. Lovers of shopping will find stores nearby for Chanel, Hugo Boss, and many more, not to mention the Galeries Lafayette, which includes big name stores such as Gap, H & M and Zara. The Opera district branch of Galeries Lafayette, along with nearby Printemps, still exhibit that famous Parisian chic.
Founded in 1893, the Galeries Lafayette is no less than shopper's utopia, and has continually reinvented itself. Its incredible Christmas window displays are a Parisian institution. The luxurious main hall has a seemingly endless array of perfumes, accessories and other products. The store stocks the world’s most well-regarded designer labels and even boasts fashion shows, its own deluxe grocery counter, a travel agency, six restaurants, and internet access. Come to shop, or come simply to look. Either way, prepare for the time of your life.
