
During our trip to Paris, I made sure to schedule an after-hours tour of the Opera Garnier so we could experience the exceptional beauty of the building without hundreds of tourists circling around us. We arrived early, so we were able to sit outside of the great structure and listen to a street musician as we awaited our tour. The names and busts of many famous musicians sat up high on the building of the opera, carved out of stone, and gold statues decorated the roof. We arrived as the building was being closed for the day and made our way in through the downstairs entrance hall. We met our tour guide shortly after, and she took us around the building. We learned that Charles Garnier was not a known architect when he designed the Opera. In fact, he more-or-less accidentally won a contest that gave him the title to create the Opera. Because of this, he hid many of his personal signatures around the place so people would know without a doubt that the Palais was his design. The most famous and easy to spot is his own bust that he placed at the top of the ceiling in the grand foyer. His face is in the design on one end, and his wife’s is on the design opposite of his own. He made sure that the people who came would know his face.



Finally, she talked about how the ceiling was replaced above the chandelier, and it was easy to tell. The style of the art up there did not match the rest of the Opera in any way. She had grown accustomed to it. We weren’t so sure about it. It was a little too modern to fit with the style of the rest of the building.


Upon leaving, I could understand very easily why the Opera Ghost would make such a place his home. If you haven’t read The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, I highly recommend it. Even better- see the Andrew Lloyd Webber adaptation on Broadway. But, above all, if you get the chance to see the Opera Garnier in person, I highly recommend doing so! It is a magical place glowing with history.
