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Opéra de Paris Garnier. www.community.simtropolis.com. Sophia Kiernan Hour 8 Independent Study French 3. What is the Opéra?. 1,979-seat opera house built between 1861 and 1875 to house the Paris Opera .
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Opéra de Paris Garnier www.community.simtropolis.com Sophia Kiernan Hour 8 Independent Study French 3
What is the Opéra? • 1,979-seat opera house built between 1861 and 1875 to house the Paris Opera. • It is called many names: Opéra de Paris Garnier, Opéra de Paris, Opéra Garnier, or just Opéra. All of these refer to the same building. • It is one of the most recognized monuments of Paris. • It was eventually replaced by a new theatre, the Opéra Bastille, but is still used for ballets. www.planetware.com www.gayparis.com
Who created the Opéra? • The building was commissioned under the orders of Napoleon III as part of his great Paris Reconstruction Program. • Baron Haussmann was put in charge of the Reconstruction. • The project was put out to competition for a contract, was given to unknown architect Garnier. • Building took 15 years, but was interrupted by several events, including the 1870 war and the fall of the Empire of Napoleon III. www.telegraph.co.uk
What is the Opéra used for? • It was originally built to house the Paris Opéra, a the primary and largest opera company in Paris. • The Paris Opéra produces classical operas and ballets. • However, a new modern theater called the Opéra Bastille opened in 1989 to accommodate more elaborate sets. • The Opéra Garnier is still used for smaller operas, but more commonly ballets. www.younggalleryphoto.com www.mommatsplace.com
Where is the Opéra? • It is located at the Place de Opéra, a square in the 9th arrondissement. • It is on the Boulevard des Capucines. • The nearest Metro stop is conveniently named “Opéra.” www.google.com/maps www.kunst-fuer-alle.de
Why was the Opéra built? • The Opéra was originally built as part of Napoleon’s plan to stimulate the French economy and give people jobs. • It was planned to house the Paris Opéra and Paris Ballet. • Now it is a major representation of the beautiful architecture of Paris. • It is a large tourist attraction, and also includes the Bibliothèque-Musée de l'Opéra de Paris, a part of the National Libraires of France. www.parisbytrain.com www.cruzine.com
What is the the Opéra’s significance? • The Opéra symbolizes the best of French architecture, and the importance of the arts to French people. • It is perhaps the most recognized building next to Notre Dame in Paris. • The building also became the most influential architecture for the next 30 years. • Many buildings have been modeledafter it, including the Library of Congress, National Opera House of Kiev in Ukraine, and several buildings in Poland. www.about.com/architecuture
Interesting Facts • Architect Charles Garnier left his signature in the ceiling of the building. • The Opéra has 17 floors and takes up 3 acres of land. • 7 of the 17 floors are located below ground. • Workers discovered underground lake beneath the building during construction. www.virtualtourist.com www.phantomgerry.com
The Phantom of the Opera • Gaston Leroux’s famous novel “The Phantom of the Opera” is set at the Opéra de Garnier. • This book was eventually made into a well-known musical by Andrew Lloyd Weber. • It is the longest running musical on Broadway, reaching over 10,000 showings in February 2012, and the highest grossing show of all time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwoLNtUuCVk www.brucegimelson.com www.prlog.com
The Opéra by the Numbers • Seats: 1,900 • Stage: 60 meters high with a 15 meter under stage • Grand Foyer: 18 meters high, 54 meters long,13 meters high. • Surface Area: 11,237 m2 • Weight of Chandelier: 8,000 tons • Grand Staircase: 30 meters high www.wikipedia.com www.people.tribe.net
Works Cited • Hatab, Simon. "The Opera: Palais Garnier: Presentation." Opera National de Paris. Opera National de Paris, n.d. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://www.operadeparis.fr/en/L_Opera/Palais_Garnier/PalaisGarnier.php>. • . "Opéra de Paris Garnier." www.aviewonsities.com. N.p., 2012. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/operagarnier.htm>. • . "Palais Garnier." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_Garnier>. • . "The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)." Wikipedia. N.p., 2012. Web. 13 May 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(1986_musical)>. • Webber, Andrew Lloyd. "Paris Opera House." Phantom Of the Opera. N.p., 1986. Web. 13 May 2012. <http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com/background/paris-opera-house>.