33 replies to this topic

[socalgal]

Anyone know the lay out of the Paris Opera House?
I am thrilled to have bought tickets (on line) to the Paris Opera Ballet for October 3.
The seats are 425 and 427 orchestra. So how do they number their seats?
I have no idea where we will be sitting and am very curious.
We are looking forward to this as a highlight of our trip. I find it funny as they are dancing an all Balanchine program the night we are there.

If anyone has been to this theatre, I would appreciate any seating information you might share with me.

Thanks!

[Françoise]

It's at the orchestra but in the deep of the orchestra which is good because he is a few "up" than rank close up to the stage .

[socalgal]

Merci Francoise !!!

This puts my mind to rest. We are anticipating a beautiful performance and will be looking forward to seeing the Paris Opera Ballet in their own theatre.
What a thrill..

Thank you again for your response

[rkoretzky]

I am SO thrilled to be going to POB too! We're going to France for my (insert number here) birthday. I wanted desperately to see this program because: 1. I have never seen Palais de Cristal and 2. I have never been to the Garnier.

We're going on Friday, October 10. Will anyone else from BA be there? If so, please let me know so that we can meet and say bonsoir!

The performance must have sold pretty well, because the only seats that were available were inexpensive--I think 20 euro each. But I am just so excited to be going!!!!

[socalgal]

Rkoretszky......very sorry to miss you by a week. It would have been fun to meet up with a BAnik in Paris. We are looking forward to our visit as well but we are only in Paris for two nights. It was lucky that the POB was dancing the one night available to us. So we will have to compare notes for sure. I have never been inside the this famous theatre either and anticipating a most special evening! What are you seeing? And do you know if POB lists their casting for these performances at their web site? We are seeing is the all Balanchine program. I cannot wait to see the POB in Symphony in C!!!!

[Estelle]

rkoretzky, so far I only have tickets for Oct 7th, but I might buy some other ones when they are sold at the box-office (the box-office opens exactly 14 days before each performance, and also the cheapest category of seats are sold only at the box-office, not by phone or online- not very good seats, but it can be convenient when one wants to see several performances in a row without spending too much!) Also, if you want to see more performances once you're in Paris, sometimes one can buy some tickets at the box-office on the evening of the performance (the performances are at 7:30 PM, but it's better to be there around 6 PM because there generally is a queue).

Anyway, I hope that you'll both enjoy staying in Paris. In case you are interested, there also are some visits of the Palais Garnier nearly every day, which also include the library-museum (bibliothèque-musée) of the Opera, a nice place with some memorabilia like a pointe shoe of Taglioni, some paintings of famous dancers and opera singers, some sets and costumes...

There is some information about the visits on the following page:
http://www.opera-de-..._cont_v1_3.html
but unfortunately only in French (but if you'd like me to translate something from me just ask )

socalgal, yes the POB usually lists the castings on its web page, but in general it is announced quite late (and of course sometimes there are last-minute changes because of injuries, sickness, etc.) When they are announced on the site, I'll try to post them in this thread.

About that program: there have been some rumors that they might dance not "Palais de Cristal" but... "Symphony in C", which would really be weird as "Palais de Cristal" was premiered by the POB and much of the audience has been looking forward to seeing it again for years :green: I just hope that it's only rumors- I love "Symphony in C" too (I saw it in Edinburgh when the NYCB toured there) but it would really be a strange idea to dance it instead of the "home" production! :shrug:

Well, it's a bit off-topic, but if you like Southwestern France cooking (foie gras, duck or goose dishes...) there's a nice little (and really cheap for Paris) restaurant not too far from the Palais Garnier that I can recommend.

[bingham]

Too bad that they might dance S in C instead of Palais de cristal after all. The POB website says the costumes will be " after Karinska".It would have been nicer to see the original.
Joe

[rkoretzky]

NO!!!!!!

I planned this trip around the opportunity to see "Palais de Cristal". This is really a disappointment, if it comes to pass.

Estelle, merci! I would love any and all suggestions for restaurants and activities in Paris. I've been there many times, but there is always something new to discover in that magnificent city. And we do plan to do the Opera tour. Possibly the sewer tour too, since we haven't done that--why not?

Socalgal--yes sorry to miss you as well. I had to plan this trip around the Jewish holidays, which limited my opportunities. Luckily for us, POB also fit into our plans--well I made sure of that. We'll also be in Paris only two days this time, we are going on a river cruise from Avignon to Chalon and then renting a car for a few days. It should be fabulous? And what is your itinerary?

[Estelle]

bingham: I hadn't noticed what was written on the web site about the costumes "after Karinska"- if I remember correctly, the costumes of "Palais de Cristal" were by Leonor Fini, not Karinska? The sets by Fini were abandoned, but I think the costumes were kept... On the other hand, for the choreography it is written "George Balanchine (Opéra de Paris - 1947)" and not "George Balanchine (Ballet Society- 1948)". Well, so far, all that seems confused and illogical I wonder if it's because of some problems with the costumes, or with the stager? Anyway, if they do perform "Symphony in C" instead of "Palais de Cristal", I think it would be worth writing to Mr Hugues Gall (director of the Paris Opera) to complain- they advertised "Palais de Cristal", not "Symphony in C" and so they should perform what was announced... :angry:

rkoretzky, a cruise from Avignon to Châlons, that really sounds exciting
The restaurant I told you about (rue Saint-Augustin) has its website (not a very weell designed one, I think) at
http://www.domainede...llac-paris.com/
and one can see the menu and book online (booking is necessary as it is rather small and often crowded). However, one problem is that there often is much smoke there (unfortunately, a common problem in many French restaurants ) Else there are quite a lot of restaurants in the Garnier area, especially on the boulevard des Italiens, ranging from fast food to very fancy ones like "Le Céladon" rue Daunou.

[bingham]

Estelle,
Yes,it is rather confusing in the POB website but Karinska did the City ballet version which is all white in contrast to L Fini's different color for each movement.
If i remember it right the 2nd movement is quite different in each version.
Joe

[socalgal]

All this conversation is getting me reved for this trip!!!! :hyper:

rkoretzky-

I hope that I did not start something adrift here! I assumed that Palais de Cristal was the same as S in C Either one of these ballets will be candy to my eyes and ears.....the ballet program is listed as Palais de Cristal, music Bizet and costumes 'after Karinska'.. Please post if you find out any more info about this. 4 T's is on the POB program as well and will be great as I will be seeing it performed by PA Ballet also in October.

My husband and I are traveling to Copenhagen first for some days. His family is Danish and it will be his first trip to see his relatives homeland. Hopefully, we can pick up tickets for RDB when we get there. Then we go to Venice for some days and fly to Paris for two nights and home.
We are 'empty nesters' and making the most of it
:yes: Our life was ruled for many years with the BD's schedule and demands of training...we miss her but not the rest.....and so we travel as much as possible after years of confinement!

Estelle.....
thanks for the dining tips! We are staying in the St. Germain area on Rue Christine. We found this lovely small hotel nestled back on this cobblestone street on our last visit while dining at a wonderful small cafe nearby. It is quiet and cozy and walking distance to the Louvre et al.
Tres Romantique!
We will all have to compare notes when we return.....Bon Voyage

[Françoise]

Unfortunately, it will be not Palais de cristal but its second version Symphony in C which will be dance in the Balanchine programm.

[Estelle]

Françoise, thanks for the information- I'm really disappointed Do you know why they decided to show that version (and why they didn't say it clearly when the season was announced last spring)? And why they still say in the brochure that the choreography is the 1947 one? Is it because of a problem with the costumes
(I thought that perhaps it could be that, as Leonor Fini died a few years ago and perhaps there could be some problems of rights with her heirs?), or was there nobody available to stage "Palais de Cristal"? Or is it just that the POB's direction prefers "Symphony in C"? Indeed, if they wanted to show "Symphony in C", it'd have been better to invite the NYCB to show it, instead of depriving the Paris audience of an opportunity to see the only ballet of Balanchine created especially for the Paris Opera... :angry:

socalgal: Copenhagen, Venice and Paris, that really sounds great

[rkoretzky]

I'm really upset about this! Having seen Symphony in C over fifty times during the past 30 years of NYCB watching, and having never seen Palais de Cristal, I was counting on a very special opportunity. I guess that proves that one should never count on anything in ballet---injuries, program changes, pregnancy (yes I was also planning to see Darcey Bussell in Sleeping Beauty in March), whims of ADs...

But I think I might have planned a different trip, were it not for this Balanchine program in Paris.

Estelle, I think I will do as you suggested and write a letter to the Director. My French is passable but I would want this to be absolutely correct. If I sent you the text of a letter by PM, would you be kind enough to translate it? Your English is perfect.

[Estelle]

rkoretzky, I understand your disappointment. I plan to write to Hugues Gall too- well, I have no idea of how efficient it could be, but at least the direction should know that some of the audience is disappointed and also finds that it's not honest to announce a ballet and dance another one. Perhaps also writing to the press would be a good idea- even though the French press isn't very interested in ballet in general, alas

Actually, I think that you could write in English, Hugues Gall probably speaks English as he has to deal with people (singers, conductors...) from many different countries, or at least somebody from his staff must speak English too. But if you want me to translate it into French, no proble! Probably it's better to wait until we've seen the show, as complaining in advance would seem a bit odd.

Yes it's hard to plan ballet trips in advance... But at least Darcey Bussell's pregnancy is a matter of private life (she is as entitled as anybody to decide to have children- and it's better to know she won't dance because of such a happy event than because of an injury ) and there's little to do about it, while announcing a ballet and staging another one is an artistic decision.

Also some casts have been announced on the web site: no dates given yet, just the list of the performers for each ballet (the cast for each date will probable be given later).
Here it goes:

"Symphonie en ut"
1er mouvement Clairemarie Osta ou Laëtitia Pujol ou
Karin Averty ou Nolwenn Daniel

Jean-Guillaume Bart ou Kader Belarbi ou
Hervé Moreau ou Benjamin Pech

2e mouvement Aurélie Dupont ou Agnès Letestu ou
Delphine Moussin

Jean-Guillaume Bart ou Manuel Legris ou Yann Bridard

3e mouvement Eleonora Abbagnato ou Marie-Agnès Gillot ou
Stéphanie Romberg ou Fanny Fiat

José Martinez ou Jérémie Bélingard ou Karl Paquette

4e mouvement Eleonora Abbagnato ou Nolwenn Daniel ou
Mélanie Hurel

Alessio Carbone ou Hervé Moreau ou Karl Paquette ou Benjamin Pech

'Le Fils prodigue" (The Prodigal Son)
Le fils prodigue: Kader Belarbi ou Nicolas Le Riche ou
Jérémie Bélingard
La sirène: Agnès Letestu ou Marie-Agnès Gillot ou
Stéphanie Romberg

"Les Quatre Tempéraments" (The Four Temperaments)
Les trois thèmes:
Karin Averty ou Nolwenn Daniel
et Lionel Delanoë ou Karl Paquette

Eleonora Abbagnato ou Mélanie Hurel
et Jérémie Bélingard ou Gil Isoart

Delphine Moussin ou Nathalie Riqué
et Yann Bridard ou Hervé Moreau

Mélancolique: Kader Belarbi ou Laurent Hilaire ou
Yann Bridard ou Hervé Moreau

Sanguin: Aurélie Dupont ou Clairemarie Osta ou
Laëtitia Pujol
(strangely, the male partners are not listed)

Flegmatique: Nicolas Le Riche ou José Martinez ou
Yann Bridard

Colérique: Karin Averty ou Marie-Agnès Gillot ou
Stéphanie Romberg

I'm a bit sad that Legris won't dance in "The Prodigal Son" or "The Four Temperaments" (if I remember correctly, he had danced the Melancholic when the POB last performed it)
but well, at least he will be dancing in "Symphony in C".