Opera Garnier

When the Palais Garnier opened in 1875 as the new home of the Paris Opera, the public acclaim was both immediate and enthusiastic. Begun under Napoleon III, France’s first president and last emperor, the Belle Epoque masterpiece conceals behind its breathtaking interior a deep hidden world of workshops, machinery rooms, and secret spaces that support the building and its vast program of opera, theater, and dance. An ever-elusive place cloaked in mystery, myths and whispers, Charles Garnier’s beloved creation has never been just about the performances on its stage…