Page 339 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Paris

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Classical Music

The music scene in Paris is busy and exciting, with many first- repertoire. In addition to running
class venues offering an excellent range of opera, and classical the Salle Pleyel, the Cité de la
and contemporary music productions. There are also Musique also operates other
numerous concerts in churches (some of which are free) and venues at Parc de la Villette.
These concert halls present a
many music festivals, particularly during the summer months. varied programme of music from
Information about what’s on is listed in Pariscope and all periods, genres and cultures.
L’Officiel des Spectacles. A free monthly listing of musical events While currently closed for
is given out at most concert halls. Also, try the Office du renovation, the Théâtre du
Tourisme in the Rue des Pyramides (see pp332–3) for details Châtelet is one of the city’s
main venues for all kinds of
of many free and open-air classical music performances.
concerts, opera and dance.
The high-quality programme
includes opera classics, from
Opera (500 seats) and the Studio (200 Mozart’s Così fan tutte to Verdi’s
Opera lovers will find themselves seats) for smaller-scale events La Traviata, and more modern
well catered for, with many connected to the current works, such as Boessman’s
productions mounted at the productions on the main stages Contes d’Hiver, and occasional
Bastille, the main venue for here and at the Opéra Garnier. concerts by international opera
opera, and also at the beautiful The Opéra Comique (also stars. Great attention is also
Opéra National de Paris Garnier. known as the Salle Favart), devoted to 20th-century music
Opera is also an important part of directed by Jérôme Deschamps, here, and there are lunchtime
the programming at the Théâtre no longer has opera, but stages concerts and recitals in the foyer.
du Châtelet, as well as being a wide range of eccentric, light- The venue should reopen in 2019.
produced intermittently by a weight productions, including The beautiful Art Deco
variety of small organizations, some popular music-hall-style Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
and there are occasional large- work and operetta. It reopened is a celebrated classical music
scale lavish productions at the in early 2017 following major venue that also produces some
AccorHotels Arena (see p342). renovation work. opera and dance. Radio France
The Opéra de Paris’s ultra- North of the city centre, at is part-owner of the theatre, and
modern home is the Opéra St Denis, the Stade de France its Orchestre National de France
National de Paris Bastille hosts occasional opera gives concerts here, as do many
(see p102), where performances spectaculars. Past productions touring orchestras and soloists.
make full use of the house’s have included Verdi’s Aïda, The Orchestre des Champs-
mind-boggling array of high- directed by Charles Roubaud, Elysées, directed by Philippe
tech stage mechanisms. There as well as Bizet’s Carmen and Herreweghe, is in residence
are 2,700 seats, all with a good Nabucco by Verdi. here, and gives period-
view of the stage, and the instrument perfor mances.
acoustics are excellent. Radio France is the biggest
Productions feature classic Concerts single concert organizer in
and modern operas, and Paris is the home of three major Paris, with a musical force that
interpretations are often avant- symphony orchestras, and a includes two major symphony
garde: past examples include good half-dozen other orchestras: the Orchestre
Philippe Mamoury’s K...; Bob orchestras; it is also a major National de France and the
Wilson’s production of The venue for touring European and Orchestre Philharmonique.
Magic Flute, done in the style American orchestras. Chamber Many of its concerts are given
of Japanese Noh; and Messiaen’s music is also flour ishing, either in Paris’s other concert halls, but
St Francis of Assisi, with video as part of the programming of the Maison de Radio-France
screens and neon added to the major venues, or in smaller has a large hall and several
bring the story up to date. halls and churches. smaller studios that are used
On Thursday lunchtimes, The Salle Pleyel is Paris’s for concerts and broad casts
they also offer free concerts, principal concert hall. After open to the public (see p204,
lectures and films as part of an extensive renovation, it is now Maison de Radio-France).
occasional programme known owned by the state-run Cité de The Cité de la Musique is a
as Casse-Croûte à l’Opéra. la Musique and houses the massive cultural centre devoted
There are also occasional Orchestre de Paris, directed by entirely to music – of all genres
dance performances, when the Christoph Eschenbach, as well and from all eras. Classical
Bastille plays host to the ballet as Radio France’s Philharmonic music features heavily on its
company from the Opéra Orchestra, led by Myung-Whun programme, with lots of
National de Paris Garnier (see Chung. The Salle Pleyel has chamber music and recitals,
p219). The house includes two optimal acoustics for the classical as well as more ambitious
smaller spaces, the Auditorium and contemporary orchestra orchestral concerts.

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