# Opéra Bastille: Tickets, Seats and How to Visit

Booking opera and ballet, choosing seats in the big hall, the guided tour and how to plan the evening near Bastille

By Finzi

The Opéra Bastille is the modern home of the Paris National Opera, standing on Place de la Bastille at the edge of the Marais. It opened in 1989 and hosts most of the company’s large opera productions, along with some ballet. Where the Palais Garnier is all gilt and marble, the Bastille is glass, granite and clean lines, with one of the largest stages in Europe. This guide explains how to buy tickets, how to choose a seat, what the guided tour covers, and how to plan a night out around the building.

Seasons, prices and tour dates change. Check the official Opéra national de Paris website before you book.

# What the Opéra Bastille is

The French state decided in the early 1980s to build a new, larger opera house that could stage big productions for a wide audience. An international competition chose the design by the architect Carlos Ott. The building was inaugurated on July 13, 1989, on the eve of the 200th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, and its first full opera season began in 1990.

The Paris National Opera now uses two houses:

• Palais Garnier, the 19th-century opera house near the Grands Boulevards, mainly for ballet and some operas.
• Opéra Bastille, mainly for opera, with large casts, choirs and complex sets.

The main hall at the Bastille has about 2,700 seats. Smaller spaces in the building host recitals, chamber music and shows for young audiences.

# How to buy Opéra Bastille tickets

Tickets are sold on the Paris National Opera website, by phone and at the box offices at both houses. The season is announced in the winter before it begins, and sales open in several phases.

• Create an account on the official site before sales open.
• Read the calendar, which lists each production and date.
• Choose a seat category and look at the seat map.
• Keep your ticket on your phone or print it.

Prices range from low-priced upper seats to expensive front stalls. Popular productions and opening nights sell out fast. Weekday performances and less famous operas are easier to find.

The opera offers reduced prices for young people, including special offers for those under 28 on some dates. Last-minute and low-price seats may also be released shortly before a show. Read the official page on discounts, since the rules change from season to season.

If a production is sold out, keep checking the official site in the final days. Ticket holders sometimes return seats, and these go back on sale without notice. The box office can also tell you whether any seats will be released on the day.

Buy only from the official site or the box office. Resale sites often charge far more than the face value.

# Choosing a seat in the big hall

The hall is wide and steep, with good sight lines from most places. Still, some seats are better value than others.

• Orchestra stalls: close to the stage and the singers. Excellent for drama and faces.
• Front of the first balcony: often considered the best balance of sound and view.
• Upper balconies: cheaper and further away, but the steep design keeps the stage visible.
• Side seats: some have a partial view of the stage. The seat map notes these.

If you are tall, an aisle seat gives more room for your legs during a long opera.

Sound is clear in most parts of the hall, which was designed for large voices and orchestras. For ballet, a seat higher up shows the patterns of the dancers better than one close to the stage.

Opera at the Bastille is sung in its original language, with surtitles in French and English shown above the stage. Visitors with no French can follow the story easily.

# The evening at the opera

Most evening performances start at 7:30 p.m. or a little earlier for long operas. Sunday afternoon performances are common. Check the running time before you go, since some works last more than four hours with intervals.

• Arrive early. Doors open about 45 minutes before the start. Security checks bags at the entrance.
• Dress. There is no strict dress code. Smart casual is normal, and some people dress up for opening nights.
• Cloakroom. Available for coats and small bags.
• Bars. Drinks and light snacks are sold during intervals. Pre-order at the bar before the show to skip the line.
• Late arrivals. Latecomers usually wait until a break before entering.

Photos and filming during the performance are forbidden. You may take pictures in the foyers before the show and during intervals.

# The guided tour

The Opéra Bastille runs guided tours of the building that show areas most visitors never see. The tour lasts about 1 hour 30 minutes and is given in French only. Prices start at 20 euros for adults, with reduced rates for young people aged 12 to 25 and for children aged 8 to 11.

• The meeting point is at 120 Rue de Lyon, next to the main building.
• Arrive 10 minutes before the start time.
• Tours depend on the work schedule of the stage, so dates are limited.
• Book on the official website, since groups are small.

The tour covers the main hall, backstage spaces and some of the workshops. The Bastille is famous for its huge stage machinery, with side and rear stages that let crews change sets quickly. Group tours in other languages can sometimes be arranged in advance. Wear comfortable shoes, since the route includes stairs and long corridors.

# Getting there

The opera stands on Place de la Bastille, where the 4th, 11th and 12th arrondissements meet.

• Metro lines 1, 5 and 8: Bastille station, right outside the building.
• Buses: several lines stop around the square.
• On foot: about 10 minutes from the Place des Vosges and 15 minutes from the Hôtel de Ville.

The entrance for performances faces the square. Look for the large glass front and the wide steps.

# Before and after a performance

The Bastille area is lively in the evening, with bars, bistros and restaurants on Rue de la Roquette, Rue de Lappe and Rue de Charonne. For a calmer dinner, walk west into the Marais.

The guide to photoshoot spots in Le Marais on photographers-paris.com describes the squares, courtyards and streets near Place des Vosges, a short walk from the opera. An early evening stroll there before a show is a good way to start the night.

Other places near the opera:

• Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris.
• The Port de l’Arsenal, a marina just south of the square, linking the Seine and the Canal Saint-Martin.
• The Coulée Verte, the raised garden walk that starts near the opera and runs east.
• The Marché Bastille, a large open-air market on Boulevard Richard-Lenoir on Thursday and Sunday mornings.

After a late show, the metro at Bastille is right outside. Taxis wait around the square, and the streets nearby stay busy until late.

# Opera with children and first-timers

The Paris National Opera runs programs for young audiences, including shorter works and family performances. Some are held in the smaller halls of the Bastille. Check the season for shows marked for young people.

For a first opera, choose a well-known work with a clear story and memorable music. Read a short summary before the show, and use the surtitles. Seats in the first balcony give a good overall view without high prices.

If you visit with older parents, ask about access when booking. The building has lifts, and staff can help with seats that are easy to reach. The guide to planning a Paris photoshoot with elderly parents or grandparents on photographers-paris.com shares useful ideas about pacing and rest, which apply just as well to a long evening at the opera.

# Bastille or Garnier?

Many visitors wonder which house to choose. The answer depends on your priority.

• For the building itself: Palais Garnier, with its grand staircase and painted ceiling.
• For big opera productions: Opéra Bastille, with its large stage and modern staging.
• For ballet: Garnier hosts most ballet, but the Bastille stages some large ballets too.
• For price: both offer a wide range, and the Bastille has more seats.

Some travelers book a performance at the Bastille and a daytime visit of the Palais Garnier. This combination shows both sides of the Paris Opera.

# Quick answers

What is the Opéra Bastille? The modern opera house of the Paris National Opera, opened in 1989 on Place de la Bastille.

How do you buy tickets? On the official Opéra national de Paris website, by phone or at the box office.

Are operas in English? Operas are sung in their original language, with surtitles in French and English.

Is there a guided tour? Yes. The tour lasts about 1 hour 30 minutes, in French, from 20 euros for adults.

Is there a dress code? No strict dress code. Smart casual is common.

# Sources

• Opéra national de Paris official site: season, tickets, seat maps and discounts, operadeparis.fr
• Opéra national de Paris: guided tour of the Opéra Bastille, terms and prices, operadeparis.fr
• Paris je t’aime, Paris tourist office: Opéra Bastille, parisjetaime.com
• photographers-paris.com: “Photoshoot Spots in Le Marais” and “How to Plan a Paris Photoshoot with Elderly Parents or Grandparents”