Greetings yet again! I hope you all haven’t been too worried about my lack of posting. It’s nearing the end of the semester, so final projects and exams are coming up, which is taking up a bit more of my time. Thankfully, I was able to find the time to visit a place I’ve had on my radar for a while now: the Opéra Garnier!
As you may remember, early into the semester I visited the Galeries Lafayette, which is right next to the opera. Back then, I was only able to see the outside, since it was too late to go in. The exterior was still very pretty, so being able to visit the interior was a satisfying experience. Upon entering, you are greeted with a majestic grand staircase, decked out with gorgeous columns and extravagant light poles. The staircase then leads to an absolutely stunning hall, on par (or even better, in some aspects) with the hall of mirrors in Versailles. The entire hall is golden, with symbols of the arts, such as harps, happy/sad masks, and the muses and Apollo from Greek mythology being represented frequently. After this, I went and saw one of the amphitheaters. It was enormous, with finely detailed wood columns and banisters surrounding a large stage. The display really allowed me to imagine what it was like to sit and watch a performance in the 1800s.
However, one of my favourite parts of the visit was seeing the collection of stage props and costumes. The feathered dresses, jeweled crowns, and artistic style of all the objects gave a really cool look into the culture and entertainment of the time. The attention to detail and craftsmanship behind each of the props was really something to behold, and it was so cool to know that, at one point in time, these were worn and used by actors.
All things considered, however, if any of you will end up visiting the opera, there are some things to take into consideration. Firstly, Opéra Garnier, unlike other museums and tourist attractions, charges a fee for students. Though it is a reduced fee of 10 euros, down from the original 15, you must still pay to enter as a student. Secondly, it is not that large. Compared to Versailles, the Louvre, Notre Dame, etc, where one could spend upwards of 5 hours visiting them, the opera only takes about 2-3 hours to see (and this is coming from someone who likes to take their sweet time). Lastly, the opera still puts on shows and performances, but tickets can be pretty expensive, especially if you don’t book them early.
Overall, however, I greatly enjoyed my visit. The opera aesthetic was new to me, and my expectations were not disappointed.
