opera house

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/France/Ile_de_France/Paris-99080/Nightlife-Paris-Opera_Garnier-BR-1.html


Good advice:
To the Editor: I recently returned from Paris and a visit to the Paris Opera. Some thoughts on the Q & A item of March 13 on ''Phantom of the Opera'' tours: Since viewing some parts of the opera house is very limited, especially on days of performance (you will not see the Chagall ceiling), we found the best thing to do was to buy the cheapest seat ($13) for an evening performance. The 10 days we were there, no operas were being performed, but a guest orchestra was there for two nights. We were up in the heavens, and the seats were very tight - no leg room - but we arrived half an hour before the performance and were able to walk all around. At intermission we viewed the long bar, and at the end of the evening, we were able to walk into the boxes.

If you can't go on the backstage tour, go to the d'Orsay Museum where there is a large model of a cross section of the Paris Opera. There is also a good opera exhibit. If you go to the opera house for a tour during the day, be sure to go back at night to see the outside all lit up. MARION L. HAWKINS Centerport, L.I.