Year: 1875

Interior Defects Of the Paris Grand


Opera House.


Paris Correspondence Of the New York Times


Outside the opera is not a failure; inside


it IS tGScO. Some years ago, when Baron


Haussmann was remOdGeling Paris, the


drawings Of III. Charles Garnier, architect,


were accepted for the National Opera, be-


cause il entered admirably into the general


plan. The center Of Paris, the junction OF


so many fine bOulevards, had to have a
grand monument, and the enormous build


ing planned by Garnier was accepted by NJ.
Haussmann. But he himself made many


changes in the plan, for the benefit Of his
own plan, for the streets to center at the


Place de POpera. GARNER changed his
model and estimated the cost Of his build
ing at some twelve million francs. But
fOrty-tbree millions Of francs were sWal-
lowed up before the house was near COM
pletion. The outside, constructed under
Baron HaUssmann's eye, is as fine as any
thing N the world, and no country can
show a grander or more imposing struc-
ture; put when left to himself Gar
nier proved unequal to his task.
The main sale is small, squatty, if I may
use the term, badly lighted, badly con
structed, and with boxes very badly dis
posed; everything has been sacrificed to
two or three snowy fOyeTS which are mar
YelOus, it is true, but not as necessary as a
good central sale. The entrance and the


grand staircase are also magnificent, and
Paul BaudTy has decorated the foyers with
some very fine work of art; but, be-
yOnd this, can say very little
good Of the bOasted monument Of high art
in France. The boxes are narrow and there
is a man-trap in the shape Of break-neck
step at the entrance Of each. l must
warn all who hope to visit the opera dur
ing the coming season to remember this
step, or they may get an ugly fall. The
bdigHOireS are simply detestable, and one
might as well be in a cellar. The grand
chandeliers shed but a gloomy light upon
the lower part of the hall, and even the
boxes on the first tier are not as rOOmy or
as we'll lighted as those Of the old opera in
the Rue Lepelletier. And stranger
still to say, in this theater, built at the
expense Of the entire nation, there is ab-
sOlutely no place for the people. The
allowed .hem in the loft is
not even decent. Everything has been sac
TihCed to the fOger& as l have before re-
marked, and 70 the front tiers Of boxes held
by rich subscribers. 1t was for this reason
that the directOr was allowed 10 raise his
prices, for since English and American Wis
itOTs will occupy them on of nights, it IS
to make them pay as much as
possible. My first visit to the building
was disappointment, but was in
formed that everything would be
right when the house was lighted.
l waited in patience to see the ne
suit. My second visit was a still greater
and ! must say that, in
my opinion, the sale of the Imperial
Opera of Vienna is infinitely superior to
this in every respect. But the grand
monde Of Paris can meet in these splendid
fOyerS on the aristOcratic nights, and
for this the foreigners in Paris are
to pay on the off nights, the
prices having been raised to this
end, and for a very long time to
come very few Of them viii have the
pleasure Of assisting on subscription nights.
very much fear that this system will
prove a costly enc. English and American
visitors may 60 once to see the house, but
hey will probably keep their money to
spend elsewhere when they find that they
AN only 60 on of nights, and see only the
)OlTge0iSie.