Rossini at the Opéra-Comique
In 1875 Bizet’s Carmen had its world premiere here at the Opéra-Comique. Also Debussy’s Pelleas et Mélisande and Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann had their world premieres here, so this is Read More …
Category: _2nd arrondissement
The 2nd arrondissement of Paris
If you look at a political map of the Paris districts, after the 2014 elections, you will see that the western side of the city is colored blue, meaning that Read More …
Bourse (Palais Brongniart) in Paris
Each of the twenty districts (arrondissements) of Paris has not only a number, but also a name. The name of the 1st district, for example, is “Louvre”. The 5th is Read More …
Richelieu-Louvois Library
The Richelieu-Louvois Library is one of four Paris locations of the National Library of France, which in French is called the Bibliothèque nationale de France, abbreviated BnF. The other three Paris Read More …
Dionysian frenzy
In addition to the permanent exhibition of coins, medallions and antiques, the French National Library (Site Richelieu-Louvois) often hosts prestigious temporary exhibitions. When I was there in the summer of Read More …
Guided walking tour from Palais Royal
In May 2013 I took a guided walking tour of the Palais Royal area in the 1st and 2nd arrondissements of Paris. The guide turned out to be a man Read More …
The Oasis of Aboukir
The high density of historic buildings in the 2nd district (2ème arrondissement) of Paris leaves little scope for traditional horizontal green spaces, so the botanist and researcher Patrick Blanc (born 1953) Read More …
Auber at the Opéra-Comique
The Salle Favart, home of the Opéra-Comique in Paris, re-opened in April 2017 after twenty months of renovation. At first glance the hall looks much the same as it did Read More …
Gounod at the Opéra Comique
The French composer Charles Gounod (1818-1893) is best known today for two of his operas, Roméo et Juliette (based on the Shakespeare play) and Faust (based on Goethe’s monumental drama). Read More …