Paris: Music Performances

There's a huge range of music performed in Paris, and you don't have to speak French to enjoy it!

Opera | Music | General Info | Concert locations | Buy ticket online | More music links

Opera

Since 1989, the French national opera company (Opéra National de Paris)has performed at the Opéra de la Bastille. The Palais Garnier at the Place de l’Opéra used to be the main opera house, and the now the Opéra National stages chamber operas and ballets there.

There are two privately-owned venues, the Opéra-Comique and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, which also put on opera productions, frequently of a lighternature. The Théâtre du Châtelet also performs operas, they're doing quite a lot of Wagner this year.

Théâtre du Châtelet

Music

The Paris Orchestra generally plays at the Salle Pleyel, northeast of the Arc de Triomphe (at 252, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008) when it is not touring abroad, but also gives performances elsewhere in Paris.

The Théâtre de la Ville (Place du Châtelet) and its secondary location Les Abbesses (31 rue des Abbesses, Paris 18) specialise in dance and world music recitals.

There are many other concert venues (see one of the lists below) including the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the Louvre Auditorium, the Musée d’Orsay. The Musée de Musique and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique are located in the Cité de la Musique at the Parc de la Villette. If you're more into rock, pop and jazz you can also find them at La Villette, but check our links below for other options.

General information

The Anglo info website has good quality information and reviews on a range of musical performance venues from arena to intimate, better than the more general lists. The venues are arranged by arrondissement, check them out according to your musical taste:

• world music
• rock and pop
• jazz
• classical

Concert locations

• Early Music usually designates the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods of Western music, and concerts often use contemporary instruments:
  Early Music Paris locations and contact details
  It's quite popular in France, and there are many locations in Paris.
  
  
• A list of other spectacular locations where music can be heard in Paris, from classical and jazz to opera and world music

Buy your ticket (classical)

Buy your classical music/opera/ballet tickets online from Classictic.com, and this page also provides useful information of what there is to hear when you'll be there.

Classictic's home page is here

More music links:

Les Concerts de la Cité, Orchestre Les Archets de Paris (French). Concerts in the city by musicians who are members of other famous orchestras. Nice music on the unusually effective flash site!

Opera National de Paris (French). Another site with great music, and you can reserve online. Check out their lunch-time concerts and recitals («CASSE-CROÛTE» À L'OPÉRA) on Thursdays from 1 - 2 pm. Free entry, and the bar is open from 12:30 pm!