Paris
Visits
I'm a
long-standing and dedicated fan of The Phantom of the Opera and
apart from seeing all the films that have been made of the famous
novel by Gaston Leroux, the Ken Hill musical version and also The
Russian Ice Stars in their rather lovely production of The
Phantom On Ice, I have seen Andrew Lloyd Webber's wonderful
musical many, many times over the past 21 years and as I so love
the story, I've been to the Phantom's domain on several occasions
to explore his fantastic domain.
I
have been visiting the Palais Garnier since my first trip to
Paris back in 1991 and for a Phantom fan, this amazingly
beautiful building certainly is a home fit for Our Hero. To
actually ascend the Grand Escalier and look up and around you and
admire the many attractive balconies, sculptures and carvings and
the beautifully coloured marbles from which they are wrought, and
to view the hundreds of candelabras which illuminate the Palais
is a breathtaking experience. The auditorium is sumptuous in red
and gold and the sight of the great chandelier above you is
awe-inspiring, and simply cannot fail to send shivers down the
spine!
Wherever
you are around the Opera House you will see the image of a lyre
somewhere, both inside and on the outside of the building,
together with that which Apollo holds aloft at the highest point
of the roof. Also, around the exterior there are many gargoyles,
and many ... masks!!
There's
an excellent gift/souvenir boutique to the right of the main
entrance hall where one can buy books, CDs, postcards and several
mementoes of the Opéra - bags, t-shirts, lapel pins, key-rings
etc etc. A really good little book which tells you all you need
to know about the building is called "Palais Garnier,
National Opera of Paris" and costs about 7.00 euros.
As for
Box 5, I have twice sat in there to see performances of the
ballet, the second time proving rather a spooky occasion as I
grew colder and colder, the chill air around my seat finally
causing me to have to put my jacket on. It was quite amazing
really, as no-one else experienced this coldness. I like to think
a certain ... presence was either sitting or standing behind me!
On
**Bastille Day each year, there is a free performance of the
ballet where one may join a queue and wait until the doors are
opened for entry. Then all those ballet fans and Phantom fans who
have patiently queued for hours and hours have the inestimable
pleasure of choosing to sit just about anywhere they wish! I've
seen several ballets at the Garnier, some at the free
performances and others as paid-for tickets, which include Sylvia,
La Sylphide, Manon, Le Concours, Joyaux, La Petite Danseuse de
Degas, La Fille mal Gardée, Paquita and Giselle.
To join the queue on Bastille Day is great
fun, especially if the weather's good!
Spanning
the River Seine, Paris is a beautiful and historic city which
offers the visitor so much to see and do, with the added benefit
of excellent public transport.
On the
following pages I have posted up some of my photographs of some
of my Paris trips. Hope you enjoy them!
Update
2007**: It seems that from now on the free
matinee performances will be staged at the Opera Bastille.
Go firstly to:
Opera
Garnier
Jeanette
Website: http://phantom-cat.org.uk