Without a doubt, the famous Paris Opera Ballet and its home at the Paris Opera House are reasons enough to visit the City of Lights. Specifically, the historic and majestic Palais Garnier is in itself an attraction, added upon which a performance by the country’s (and one of the world’s) most recognized ballet companies makes for an immersive cultural experience for natives and tourists alike. There are also ballet shows in Paris at the Opéra Bastille and Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.
The prestige held by the Paris Opera Ballet is due to the exceptional skills of its leadership, dancers, and next generation talent from their training school. The company excels in both classical full-length ballets as well as cutting-edge creations that delve into the more contemporary and modern tendencies.
Upcoming Ballet Shows in Paris for 2024 & 2025
Paris Opera Ballet: William Forsythe / Johan Inger
Paris Opera Ballet: Mayerling
Paris Opera Ballet: Paquita
Paris Opera Ballet: Play
Paris Opera Ballet: Onegin
Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo: Eyal / Maillot
Palais Garnier
Palais Garnier is home of the Paris Opera and Paris Opera Ballet, who also share residency at the more modern Opéra Bastille, as well as the Paris Opera Library-Museum. The auditorium boasts the largest stage in Europe, an iconic chandelier, paintwork done by Jules-Eugène Lenepveu and Marc Chagall, and artistic references to classical music’s most prominent composers.
In a nod to its balletic roots, the dance rehearsal space consists of three rooms – Salle Nureyev, Salle Balanchine, and Salle Petipa.
Named after its architect, Charles Garnier, the theater was built between 1861 and 1975 under the order, and ecclectic style, of Napoleon III. Alongside Notre Dame de Paris, the Louve, and the Eiffel Tower, Palais Garnier has become a structural symbol of France’s capital.
