Brynne Fritjofson Art, History, and Memory in Global Contemporary Paris May Term Research Paper

“To go to Paris without seeing the Opera is like someone who has been to Rome and not seen the Pope.” ​ ­Nicolai Karamizin ​ The bustling city of Paris is one of the most powerful strongholds for music, art, romance, and Parisian ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ culture. It’s an endless artistic melting pot of ideas, expression, and most importantly, history. Paris’s past has ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ proven the arts are remarkably what have kept the thriving city in its glory all the way to the present. After France ​ ​ lost the Franco­Prussian war, there was a desperate need to recover France’s sense of high culture.1 In order to ​ ​ ​ prove herself in power and dignity, France needed to outdo and compete with surrounding European cities that were ​ ​ also thriving in the arts. The solution was clear: there must be a universal emblem of art that stands above those of ​ ​ ​ ​ surrounding cities. What better solution for Paris than building L’Opera Garnier? ​ ​ ​

Initially, I had been interested in L’Opera Garnier because of my huge interest in the arts. Dance is one of ​ ​ ​ ​ my passions, and researching such an exquisite place where ballet became a legend is more than I could dream of. ​ ​ ​ Louis XIV had originally founded the Academie Royale de Danse in 1661 and had moved to L’Opera Garnier in later years. When I knew the legendary ballet school and phenomenal company was housed there, it was a research ​ ​ ​ ​ opportunity that I couldn’t give up. And even more so, what really drew me to this monument was the mysterious ​ ​ ​ ​ legend of The Phantom of the Opera. I had grown up listening to the soundtrack and seeing the musical on ​ ​ ​

Broadway, and after my second trip to Paris in 2015, I was hooked on the myth and dramatic storyline. Part of me ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ wanted to believe that although the story wasn’t fiction, somehow it was real. The first time that I stepped into the ​ ​ ​ ​

1 Karthas, Ilyana. When Ballet Became French: Modern Ballet and the Cultural Politics of France, 1909­1958. ​ ​ ​ McGill­Queen's University Press., 2015. (pg. 69)

Opera House, my eyes were filled with tears at the mere splendor of the beauty, knowing my childhood dreams and ​ ​ fantasies had finally come true. The life of the performers, socialites, and mystery came to life. Once I had entered ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ this sanctuary of performing arts, I knew I needed to uncover as much as I could about it. ​ ​ ​

During the period of Haussmannization in the mid 1800’s, Baron Haussmann was rebuilding the streets of ​ ​

Paris and transforming it into the “new Rome.” His technique of creating grids to run the city left him with the ​ ​ space of putting monuments along the grids, a symbol of the city’s power, wealth and beauty. His monuments, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ serving to terminate an important axis and sit alone fat spiders in an intersection of a web of avenues.2 Palace­like ​ in the sea of streets, the Opera Garnier is surrounded by the rue Halevy, rue Auber, rue Scribe, and rue Gluck, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ with the most important street to the monument, avenue de l’Opera (See figure 1). The Opera House resides in the ​ ​ ​ ​ 9th arrondissement. Haussmann built the Opera as an island detached from the the surrounding streets for a multitude of reasons. In the old Opera House, security had been an issue because of the previous assassination ​ ​ ​ ​ attempt on Napoleon III. In 1858, the monarch was travelling from the Tuileries to the Opera and conspirator Felice ​ ​ ​ ​

Orsini attempted to hurl a bomb at him.3 Haussmann placed the Opera so that it was isolated enough from the ​ streets surrounding it but also created a straight path to the Tuileries (See figure 2). The Opera’s separation from the ​ ​ city streets was also a precaution for fire hazard. The mid 1800’s was also an era when dancers often died because of their costumes catching on fire from the gas flames of the footlights, and theatre fires were one of the most common

2 McGregor, James H. Paris From the Ground Up. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, ​ ​ ​ 2009. (Pg 242)

3 Higonnet, Patrice L. R. Paris: Capital of the World. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, ​ ​ ​ 2002. (Pg 257)

and deadly urban calamities.4 Not to mention, the primary way to get to the Opera was by carriage, which ​ ​ ​ ​ encouraged the space around the sides of the building to be made in order for carriages to load their passengers.5

As Haussmann planned where the Opera House was to be built, an architect was being chosen to create the spectacle. A contest was held in order to choose who would design the building. In the first contest, no design ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ would suffice the glory of the Opera House fantasy. During the second contest, 35­year­old Charles Garnier ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ received the contract to the building. This was the beginning of his honorable career. Before Garnier was chosen to ​ ​ ​ ​ be the Opera House architect, he had returned from his five year study program in Italy, his award for winning the ​ ​ ​ ​

Prix de Rome in 1848.6 His studies of Roman architecture definitely gave way to the creations that were soon to be. ​ ​

The construction of the Opera house started in 1861 and lasted for fourteen years. The 1870 Franco­Prussian war ​ ​ interrupted the construction of the building. There continued to be a multitude of political issues going on as the ​ ​ National Assembly moved to Versailles during during construction of the Opera House when the Commune uprising broke out after the German invasion of Paris.7 But later in 1873, the fire at the old opera on Rue le Peletier made ​ ​ ​ the construction go faster.8 In January of 1875, the 3rd Republic was officially established and in power. Yet ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ strangely enough, during January 5th of the same year, L’Opera Garnier was officially inaugurated by Field ​ ​ ​ ​

4 James­Chakraborty, Kathleen. Architecture Since 1400. University of Minnesota Press, 2014. ​ ​ (pg 285)

5 James­Chakraborty, Kathleen. ​ (pg 285)

6 Bowers, Paige. Building the Big Chief Charles Garnier and the Paris of His Time. Master's thesis, Louisiana State ​ ​ ​ University, 2012. (pg. viii)

7 Pegard, Catherine. "History The Big Dates." 1875 Birth of the 3rd Republic. Accessed May 15, 2016. ​ http://en.chateauversailles.fr/history/the­significant­dates/most­important­dates/1875­birth­of­the­3rd­republic.

8 Dill, Marshall. Paris in Time. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1975. ​ ​ ​ (pg 239)

Marshal de Mac­Mahon.9 Although a new form of government was in power, the building created a monument to ​ ​ ​ the Second Empire. This was the date that created an architectural legend. ​ ​ ​

Although Charles Garnier was young for an architect, his age had no reflection on his skill. L’Opera ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Garnier was intricately designed to function as a whole, even with unique pieces to the building. The Opera House ​ ​ ​ ​ was organized into specific sections (See figure 3). “Behind the scenes, the theater was a vast machine, as intricate ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ as a weaver’s loom.”10 The structure was organized into a backstage, stage, auditorium, and the foyer and bar ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ area. It was designed to perfectly circulate the people throughout the building. The backstage contained many ​ ​ ​ ​ removeable screen and panels that were suspended from above. Beneath the stage, dozens of platforms were stored ​ ​ ​ ​ which could be raised or lowered. Hundreds of counterweights, cleats, ropes, and pulleys could pull the objects ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ into place and secure them.11 Just in front of the backstage, the vast performance stage hid the work going on ​ ​ ​ behind the scenes. The vast stage could fit up to 450 artists onstage at once.12 The auditorium was then connected to ​ ​ ​ the stage, revealing 2,156 seats with a tiered, horseshoe­shaped auditorium.13 But to reach the auditorium, one has ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ to wander through the grand foyer of the opera house. The foyer was the center of gravity to the L’Opera Garnier, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ where a buzzing of social activity was constant. Wealth and social status were flaunted and it was the primary ​ ​

9 Hines, Tom. ​

10 McGregor, James H. ​ (pg 243)

11 McGregor, James H. (page 243)

12 Hines, Tom. "Paris Opera." Paris Opera. Accessed May 13, 2016. ​ https://www.whitman.edu/theatre/theatretour/paris opera/opera.de.paris.htm.

13 Vallois, Thirza. Around and about Paris: From the Guillotine to the Bastille Opera: The 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th & ​ ​ 12th Arrondissements. London: Iliad Books, 1996. (pg 79­ 80) ​

location that the event was enjoyed.14 This was Charles Garnier’s intention when he first designed the building. ​ ​

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Opera House is the areas that the public has never seen. The myth of ​ ​ secret corridors and the lake under the house, made famous from Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera are ​ ​ ​ ​ actually present. There are winding corridors and tunnels that are hidden from the public eye. The lake on the other ​ ​ ​ ​ hand, is not similar at all to what Leroux projects. When Garnier was first planning the building of the Opera ​ ​ ​ ​ House, a significant amount of water was found that was making the ground swampy, therefore causing issues with the construction. A subterranean lake was found under the construction site which had to be pumped out in order to build, but some of the water remains under the Opera House. The lake provides water pressure in order to lift the screens and backdrops from backstage (See figure 4).15

What made L’Opera Garnier so large in the public eye was the social aspect of it. Appearing at ​ ​ ​ ​ the opera was a way to establish oneself socially and become a part of the higher class. Attending the Opera was a ​ ​ social aspect of it’s own. Going out and being seen in public was starting to become a part of Parisian culture. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Clothing and social connections were always on display and highly regarded, even more than the actual ​ ​ performance. Wealthy courtesans, aristocrats, industrialists’ wives, and tourists would converse with one another as ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ they did in departments stores.16 Women were constantly displayed at the Opera as well. Young, unmarried women ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ were introduced to the public in hopes of finding a potential husband.17 There was a constant undermining need in ​ the air to assert power and prestige.18 Although there was constant competition in wealth and status, the social ​ ​ ​

14 Vallois, Thirza. (pg 79) ​

15 Vallois, Thirza. (pg 80) ​ 16 James­Chakraborty, Kathleen. (pg. 287) ​

17 James­Chakraborty, Kathleen. (pg. 287) ​

18 McGregor, James H. (pg 244) ​

system in the Opera House fully reflected post­revolutionary France. The people who attended the Opera were in ​ ​ ​ ​ no way connected to the monarchy. In actuality, the Opera represented the multiple paths to wealth and social ​ ​ ​ ​ standing, which required a lot of hard work.19 This new idea in social structure came directly from Napoleon III’s ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Paris. He sponsored the reemergence of Paris as the most comfortable and pleasurable urban environment in the ​ ​ world.20 Finally, as a whole, France was able to show off in the comfort of her people in comparison to other ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ countries. This new Paris in which Napoleon III created reinstated France’s role in global leadership as well as in ​ ​ ​ ​ the arts and culture.21 This was the chance for France to show off its wealth and artistic splendor. ​ ​

Not only was the Opera House a place for social splendor, but it became the place for new artistic ​ ​ movements. The impressionist painters at the time created masterpieces from the everyday life in the Garnier. For ​ ​ ​ ​ example, Edgar Degas, one of the most radical impressionists, painted figures from unique perspectives at the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Opera rather than the expected views of socialites encountering one another strictly in the foyer. Degas was radical ​ ​ in his own way by moving past the riches and guests in the foyer and going backstage to the rehearsal rooms to study the dancers. Many of his paintings are other perspectives of the opera, such as dancers rehearsing and ​ ​ ​ ​ warming up, members of the orchestra pit getting ready for the show, and very different and odd angles of the front ​ ​ ​ ​ of the stage. For him, it was all about seeing life at the Opera House from an unexpected point of view. For ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ example, Degas’s The Star (1876­78) shows a principal dancer in the midst of a performance onstage (See figure ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

5). The angle in which the point of view is from is from an upper corner, almost as if someone from the balcony is ​ ​ ​ ​ seeing her instead of painting the stage itself. Another example in which Degas chooses a different perspective is in ​ ​

19 McGregor, James H. (pg 244) ​

20 James­Chakraborty, Kathleen. (pg. 287) ​

21 James­Chakraborty, Kathleen. (pg. 287) ​

his Orchestra at the Opera (1870) (See figure 6). Although the view is still towards the stage, the focus isn’t on ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the dancers performing. The dancers are in the background and the main focus are instrumentalists, more ​ ​ ​ ​ importantly, the bassoon player. This would never be the focus of an Opera goer that attends the show. Degas ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ purposely picks up on the details in the atmosphere that are usually just background to everything else and gives a story to each aspect of the opera. Another impressionist that changed the way the way life was seen at the opera was ​ ​

Mary Cassatt. Her focus was on the audience members rather than the artists performing. Her paintings catch ​ ​ ​ ​ figures in the midst of seeing or being seen, which really reflects the social aspect of the Opera. In her painting In ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the Loge (1879), the woman is watching the show from her box (see figure 7). From the viewer’s perspective, it’s ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ as if we’re sitting in the box with her, watching the show. She seems to be hiding in the balcony, trying to immerse ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ herself into the scene. She’s far away from the stage and needs her binoculars to see well, and her clothes are ​ ​ ​ ​ modest and less fancy. Another one of Cassatt’s famous pieces Woman with a Pearl Necklace (1879) (See figure ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

8). In comparison to the previous painting, she is in the seats closer to the stage, possibly orchestra seating. She’s ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ dressed in a pearl necklace and expensive looking clothing. Everything about her shows her high class. But what’s ​ ​ ​ ​ most intriguing is the way she carries herself. She wants to be seen and knows she’s worth the sight for other ​ ​ spectators. ​

When L’Opera Garnier was one of the largest and most expensive monuments to be commissioned by

Napoleon III.22 The large structure didn’t fail to show the luxury of the Second Empire. The design of the building ​ ​ ​ itself was a mix of Greek and Roman style. The exterior of the monument is decorated with columns, friezes, and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ winged figures and statues along the walls of the building (See figure 9). The repetition of columns moves the eye ​ ​ from left to right, following the multiple vertical structures. Because the columns are repeated so much, it gives ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

22 Karthas, Ilyana. (pg. 68) ​

the exterior a sense of rhythm even amongst the chaotic decorations. Many of the sculptures that enhance the ​ ​ outside of the buildings are of opera legends such as Rossini, Auber, Beethoven, Meyerbeer, and Halévy, created ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ by the artists Évrard and Chabaud. Angelic figures, like the golden angels of Poetry and Harmony made by ​ ​ ​ ​

Gumery as well as the angels near the side entrances of the Opera watch over the space. The angels at the lower ​ ​ area of the exterior feature angels of lyric drama, dance, poetry, and instrumental music. The repetition of angels ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and musicians creates symbols for the opera house that the space is a sacred monument to the arts. This is what the ​ ​

House was built for and that’s what it will always stand for. The copper dome, the highest point of the building is ​ ​ ​ ​ crowned with a golden sculpture of Apollo, god of music, created by Millet.23 This section of the outside is ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ furthermore the most emphasized part of the building because of the gold and the area in which it was built. The ​ ​ sculpture of Apollo supports Garnier’s interest in Greek culture and unifies his use of Greek architecture in the ​ ​ columns and other areas of the building. The lavish decorations on the outside discreetly hid the functions of certain ​ ​ areas inside the building. The embellished copper dome, now green with age, is actually a false dome that hides the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ interior dome in the auditorium of the Opera House. The famous chandelier is retracted between these domes during ​ ​ performances. The chandelier is just as extensive as the rest of the building. Coated with thousands of crystals, it ​ ​ ​ ​ weighs more than 7 tons.24 ​

The inside of the Opera House leads to even more opulent appearances. The Foyer houses the grand ​ ​ staircase that connects to balconies which sweep across the entire space (See figure 10). The curvilinear lines of the ​ ​ staircase and balconies unify the area in which the Opera­goers travel. Smaller chandeliers, engaged columns, and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

23 Rivera, Peter, and Gerard Fontaine. Le Nouvel Opéra De Paris: Statues Décoratives. May 1, 2009. Paris, France. ​ ​ ​ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_Garnier#/media/File:Opéra_Garnier_facade_with_sculpture_labels.jpg

24 Harris, Beth, Dr., and Steven Zucker, Dr. "Charles Garnier, The Paris Opéra." Smarthistory. 2015. Accessed May ​ 14, 2016. http://smarthistory.org/garnier­paris­opera/.

the painted ceiling adorn the room. The overall space of the foyer with its multicolored marble and mosaics reflect a ​ ​ brown and tan color tonality. Although if you look closer in the details, there are many hues of red, blue, orange, and green. The repetition of arches on the balcony of the Foyer adds to the arabesques and sweeping lines of the ​ ​ room. Although patterns are seen throughout the space, variety is seen in the engravings of the marble which depict ​ ​ ​ ​ flowers, shapes, faces, and more. The foyer also connects to the Ice­Lickers lounge on the second level. The term ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ “ice­licker” refers to the bar for intermission.25 This lounge is a replica of the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles (See figure 11). Although much smaller than the actual Hall of Mirrors, lounge is home to multiple sets of chandeliers, gold engravings, Greek columns, paintings, and of course, many mirrors. The auditorium is just as stunning to look at (See figure 12). The mixture of red and gold throughout the entire space symbolizes the power, wealth, and the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ elegance of the space as well as the people inside of it. The 7­ton chandelier, as previously mentioned, hangs over ​ ​ the center of the auditorium just under the painted ceiling by Marc Chagall, which was added in 1964. His painting depicts dancers, singers, and angels, a tribute to the ceremonial aspect of the performing arts. The four levels of balconies curve around the entire auditorium, unifying the curvilinear staircase and balconies in the foyer. But ​ ​ ​ ​ most importantly, the balconies curve to make the room more open. Because of the horseshoe­shaped seating, the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Opera­goers get a chance to not only see everyone from where they are seated, but to be seen. As this was a very ​ ​ ​ ​ important aspect of the opera, the social intrigue had to follow the visitors past the foyer and into the performance ​ ​ arena as well. ​

L’Opera Garnier is a legend of it’s own. It’s the home of world famous ballet and opera and a sanctuary for ​ ​ the performing arts. It’s architecture is an ever­resting reminder of the Second Empire and the power of France. ​ ​ ​ The artistic detail and mixture of Roman and Greek style created a new version of architecture of it’s own,

25 Merlot, Kazza. "Paris: Palais Garnier." Kazza Merlot somewhere Rural. 2008. Accessed May 16, 2016. ​ https://kazzamerlot.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/paris­palais­garnier/.

symbolizing the 2nd Empire. Haussmann’s planning of the location of the monument made it stand out against the ​ ​ city streets. The monument brought inspiration to artists, performers, and Parisians as it quickly become one of the ​ ​ largest social hubs in Paris. The Garnier Opera House celebrates a sanctuary of music and the never ending need for ​ ​ the performing arts in Parisian culture. ​

Figure 1: The placement of the Opera House in Comparison to the surrounding streets.

Figure 2: The street built by Haussmann that creates a direct path from the

Tuilerie Gardens to the Opera House.

Figure 3: The Opera House sectioned off into various rooms.

Figure 4: The underground lake, the Opera House’s water supply for lifting set pieces backstage.

Figure 5: Edgar Degas’s The Star (1876­78) ​ ​

Figure 6: Edgar Degas’s Orchestra at the Opera (1870) ​ ​

Figure 7: Mary Cassatt’s In the Loge (1879) ​ ​

Figure 8: Mary Cassatt’s Woman with a Pearl Necklace (1879) ​ ​

Figure 9: The exterior of the Garnier Opera House

Figure 10: The foyer of the Garnier Opera House

Figure 11: The “Ice­lickers” foyer and bar of the Garnier Opera House

Figure 12: The auditorium of the Garnier Opera House Sources Cited

Karthas, Ilyana. When Ballet Became French: Modern Ballet and the Cultural Politics of France, 1909­1958. ​ ​ McGill­Queen's University Press., 2015. (pg. 69)

McGregor, James H. Paris From the Ground Up. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, ​ ​ 2009. (Pg 242)

Higonnet, Patrice L. R. Paris: Capital of the World. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, ​ ​ 2002. (Pg 257)

James­Chakraborty, Kathleen. Architecture Since 1400. University of Minnesota Press, 2014. ​ ​ (pg 285)

Bowers, Paige. Building the Big Chief Charles Garnier and the Paris of His Time. Master's thesis, Louisiana State ​ ​ University, 2012. (pg. viii)

Pegard, Catherine. "History The Big Dates." 1875 Birth of the 3rd Republic. Accessed May 15, 2016. http://en.chateauversailles.fr/history/the­significant­dates/most­important­dates/1875­birth­of­the­3rd­republic. ​

Dill, Marshall. Paris in Time. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1975. ​ ​ (pg 239)

Hines, Tom. "Paris Opera." Paris Opera. Accessed May 13, 2016. https://www.whitman.edu/theatre/theatretour/paris opera/opera.de.paris.htm.

Vallois, Thirza. Around and about Paris: From the Guillotine to the Bastille Opera: The 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th ​ Arrondissements. London: Iliad Books, 1996. (pg 79­ 80) ​

Rivera, Peter, and Gerard Fontaine. Le Nouvel Opéra De Paris: Statues Décoratives. May 1, 2009. Paris, France. ​ ​ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_Garnier#/media/File:Opéra_Garnier_facade_with_sculpture_labels.jpg

Harris, Beth, Dr., and Steven Zucker, Dr. "Charles Garnier, The Paris Opéra." Smarthistory. 2015. Accessed May ​ 14, 2016. http://smarthistory.org/garnier­paris­opera/. ​ ​