This week on Music Hall Monday, we visit The Paris Opera House (now known as the Palais Garnier). which was built by architect Charles Garnier between 1857 - 1874. The building, located in the 9th arrondissement in the heart of Paris, is known for it's ornate exteriors of the Neo-Baroque style.
For a lover of symmetry, this street layout is just spectacular! The current urban planning of Paris was brought about by the controversial Baron Haussman in the 19th Century.
Rear view of the Palais Garnier. Now, that's what I call verdigris!Paris Opera Commentary
"Although described by a contemporary critic as 'looking like an overloaded sideboard', it (the Paris Opera House) is now regarded as one of the masterpieces of the period. Here Garnier triumphed over a cramped and difficult site, handling the carriage-ramps and approach steps, the foyers and staircases, both in section and plan, with confidence and skill. The style is monumental, classically based and opulently expressed, as the times demanded, in an elaborate language of multicoloured marbles and lavish statuary. Throughout his life, Garnier was criticized for his excessive use of ornament, as Napoleon and Haussman are still accused of being inspired by an out-of-date and imperialist showmanship expressed in a language already debased. Such critics forget that every city needs its occasional monuments and occasions of grandeur, and that thanks largely to these three men, Paris remains one of the most beautiful cities in the world."
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