150 years ago, January 5, 1875, One of the most emblematic monuments in Paris rose from the ground: the Palais Garnier. During its construction, commanded by Napoleon III, first of all, it was a question of imagining secure access for the emperor who had just been the victim of an attack in the opera house of the time Le Peletier (Parisian opera hall from 1821 to 1873).
The project to build a new opera house is a a very old project dating from the Age of Enlightenment. At the moment when we say to ourselves that Paris, the capital of Europe in a certain way, needs to have an opera commensurate with it.
Before the Palais Garnier, there was no room that structured the Parisian space. This is really the great novelty of this opera. In a certain way, the project of Garnier and Napoleon III is the culmination of the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment.
Bold architectural decisions
It is to create a remarkable opera in Paris which structures the urban space, therefore which structures not only a district, but which is then connected by this avenue which will finally be pierced after the fall of Napoleon III and which will be called the avenue de l’opéra, which will connect the place of power instead of the pleasures that is opera.
From its conception, the Palais Garnier was the scene of bold decisions. The architect Charles Garnier, in response to the challenges posed by damp ground, imagined an ingenious solution: the creation of a water tank under the building, often called “the lake”, to stabilize the structure. This innovation, without the help of computers or artificial intelligence, testifies to Garnier’s genius, comparable to that of Gaudi, according to Albane de Chatellus, responsible for protocol for the Paris National Opera.
“Walk of the Dancer” and Phantom of the Opera
The opera is also full of legends. One of the most famous is that of the “dancer’s step”, a slightly broken step on the main staircase. According to legend, a little dancer fell from the glass roof, killing herself on this step. Although the story is embellished, it has its origin in a real news item, as explained by Mathias Auclairdirector of the music department of the National Library of France.
Another fascinating anecdote: the tradition of caress the feet of the torchières at the entrance to the grand staircase to ensure you return to the opera. This custom, similar to that of throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain in Rome, adds a touch of mystery to this place already steeped in history.
Finally, the Opéra Garnier is also the cradle of the legend of Phantom of the Opera, popularized by Gaston Leroux. Lodge number 5, known as “the ghost”, is located right next to the former emperor’s lodge, adding a mythical dimension to this place of culture.
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