Enjoying a performance at Paris’ Opéra Bastille

I’ve already written about Paris’ stunning Opéra Garnier.

But when I was in Paris earlier this year, I did attend an opera, but at Paris’ much larger, and more modern, opera house at the Bastille.

Opéra Bastille is – not surprisingly – located on Place de la Bastille. It was commissioned in 1981 by then President Francois Mitterand. It was completed in 1989.

As someone who loves the grandeur of Europe’s historical opera houses, I can’t honestly say I love the sterile, pragmatic 1980s architecture of the Opéra Bastille, but its size does impress. The modern opera house seats 2703, making it one of the largest opera houses in the world (behind New York, Sydney and Moscow).

I had tickets to see La Petite Renarde rusée, The Cunning Little Vixen. This is by the Czech composer, Leoš Janáček, and it premiered in Brno, Czechoslovakia in 1924.

I used to live in Prague, and have seen many Czech operas, including by Janáček, but somehow I missed this performance. It was a real pleasure finally seeing this opera centered around forest creatures and their interactions with humans. The performance was excellent and the staging and costumes quite clever. I greatly enjoyed this opera – and was amused to have “discovered” this Czech opera in Paris.

While I am much more inspired by the elegant backdrop of the Opéra Garnier (and will absolutely need to get to a performance there on a  future visit), I greatly enjoyed my evening at the Paris opera.

And, of course,  a flute of fabulous French Champagne during the intermission only added to that enjoyment.

Here’s to hoping you’ll enjoy your night at the Parisian opera during your next visit to the City of Lights, too.