Castor et Pollux at Opera Palais Garnier

Directed by Peter Sellars
Castor et Pollux by Jean-Philippe Rameau at the Palais Garnier in Paris in 2024, Opera
Opéra Palais Garnier

Until February 23, 2025

French surtitled in English
Castor et Pollux by Jean-Philippe Rameau at the Palais Garnier in Paris in 2024, Opera
Castor et Pollux at Opera Palais Garnier
Book now From 243€/person

Location

Opéra Palais Garnier
Place de l’Opéra 75009 Paris
Capacity 1900 seats

Duration

3 h 20 min

With intermission


Details

Opera

For all audiences

In French with French and English surtitles


HIGHLIGHTS: CASTOR ET POLLUX

A titan of French theatricality, you may be familiar with the works of Jean-Baptiste Rameau. This opera season, his sensational work Castor et Pollux takes to the stage of the gold-gilded Palais Garnier — trust us, you’ll want to see this!

An enchanting and baroque evening is in store for you with this magnificent piece. At the helm of this fantastic production is Teodor Currentzis, a young Greek conductor whose immense talent has not gone unnoticed — he has been snapped up by all the opera houses on account of his unparalleled skill. With the brilliant American Peter Sellars tasked with stage direction, there is no doubt that this classic is in safe hands. Better yet — this opera will be presented in its original 1737 version, complete with its sublime prologue, making for a tantalising blend of classic and contemporary greatness!

 

Castor et Pollux is above all a plunge into the baroque music of Jean-Baptiste Rameau, who excelled in both opera-ballet and lyric tragedy. Rameau emphasised lyrical declamation rather than vocal artifice, and this certainly shines through in his work. Through Castor et Pollux, Rameau presents themes such as brotherly love, sacrifice, and loyalty, and offers us a fine reflection on the human condition. There is lots of food for thought offered by this provoking operatic delight…

 

Thespian fans and the uninitiated alike will appreciate the scintillating score of Rameau, rich in emotion and harmony, and the perfect accompaniment for this great and timeless story. An evening to remember awaits!

 

 

See details for our premium option below!

PREMIUM OPTION AND EXPERIENCE AT PALAIS GARNIER

Looking for more than a standard ticket to the show? To make your experience an unforgettable one, you will be able to choose this following upgraded offer at the time of booking:

 

Champagne + Programme + Exclusive Access to Salon Liebermann + Show
Elevate your evening with our exclusive package, available even after standard ticket sales have closed. With this premium option, relish a glass of champagne, receive a show program, and enjoy privileged access to the Palais Garnier's opulent Salon Liebermann — a private space adjoining the Grand Foyer, offering breathtaking views of Place de l’Opéra and Avenue de l'Opéra and exclusively reserved for primary ticket holders.

 

Please note, this special package is exclusively offered through the Theatre in Paris box office, thanks to our official partnership with the Friends of Paris Opera Association. Don't miss the chance to make your opera night truly exceptional.

STORY: CASTOR ET POLLUX

If you’re not familiar with Baroque opera, worry not - you’re in luck, because a whole new world of operatic greatness is in store for you! Through Castor et Pollux by Jean-Philippe Rameau, you are invited to discover the beauties and subtleties of this extraordinary musical movement at the appropriately decadent Opéra Garnier.

 

Allow us to paint a picture for you: the two brothers, the titular Castor and Pollux, are mortal. Both are deeply in love, Castor with Télaïre, and Pollux with Phébé. However, chances at a fulfilled romance are dashed when during a battle, Castor is killed, plunging Pollux into despair. Seized with grief, Pollux begs Jupiter to bring his brother back to life, even offering his own immortality in exchange. Jupiter accepts the deal and brings Castor back to life, reuniting the two brothers. However, this miracle comes at the cost of Pollux's immortality.

 

As you may have gathered, the main theme of this opera is fraternal love. But as the brothers navigate the consequences of their deal, the opera goes further, exploring the themes of sacrifice and loyalty and highlighting the moral dilemmas facing the characters in light of their newfound immortality…

 

Sublime music, singers with perfect diction, and dazzling staging all enhance this exquisite story that will surely leave you with a new perspective. This evening promises to be a memorable one!

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Opéra Palais Garnier

Place de l’Opéra 75009 Paris

History and Fun Facts about the Opéra Palais Garnier

 

One of the most prestigious stages in all of France, the Palais Garnier was constructed between 1860 and 1875, designed by legendary architect Charles Garnier, who was selected among a handful of talented architects in a fierce design competition. The building itself is considered an artful masterpiece, and was one of the most expensive construction projects to come from the Second French Empire under the reign of Napoléon III. The elaborate use of different materials to lend a lavish multicolored facade was typical of many of the works under the rule of Napoléon III, and features sculptures of various figures of Greek mythology. The official inauguration in 1875 was attended by the Mayor of London and Amsterdam, the King Alphonso XII of Spain, and hundreds of members from European high society.

 

The interior was meticulously designed with intertwining corridors, alcoves and landings to allow for easy movement of large numbers of people; complete with a grand marble staircase and the grand foyer, acting as the drawing room for all of Paris high society and covered in gilded paintings. The auditorium itself is in a traditional Italian horseshoe shape, seating 1900. The stage is the largest in Europe and can accommodate 450 artists, revealed by the opening of the legendary painted curtain. Garnier himself designed the 7-tonne chandelier sparkling above the audience. In 1896, one of the many chandelier counterweights broke free and killed a concierge, the incident that inspired the scenes in the 1910 novel-turned-musical The Phantom of the Opera. The space above the auditorium in the copula dome was once used strictly for cleaning the chandelier, but has since been transformed into a space for opera and dance rehearsals.

 

The legendary building was initially deemed the Academie Impériale de Musique, yet with the fall of the Second Empire and the start of the Third Republic, this was aptly changed for the Academie Nationale de Musique, which we see written across the exterior facade to this day. Garnier envisioned his design and the transformation of the surrounding area, and to this day the opulence of the Second Empire lives on in this living monument. The avenue de l'Opéra remains the only large Parisian corridor without trees, as Garnier explicitly prevented Haussmann from adorning the street with trees, arguing that his Palais Garnier was to be the main focus. Palais Garnier became the official name in 1989 with the construction of the Opéra Bastille, and the venue now houses primarily ballets.

 

Fast facts
Capacity: 1,979
Handicap Accessible: Yes – in order to guarantee access to specific locations, we ask that you make your reservation at least 15 days before the performance.
Air conditioning: Yes
Heating: Yes
Coat Check: Yes (free service)

opera palais paris ©E. Bauer / OnP
opera palais paris view ©Christian Leiber / OnP
palais garnier ©Jean-Pierre Delagarde OnP
opera palais garnier plan de salle seating chart tickets billets paris

FAQ

How do I get to opera house Palais Garnier in the 9th arrondissement of Paris ?

The Palais Garnier opera house is accessible by:
Metro: Line 3 (station Opéra), line 7 (station Chaussée d’Antin), line 8 (station Madeleine and Opéra), line 9 (station Chaussée d’Antin)
RER: Line A (station Auber)
Address: Place de l’Opéra, 75009 Paris
In case of difficulty, our hotline can be reached during our business hours. Please see the footer of this page for our contact details.

How long does the opera, Castor et Pollux, last?

The opera Castor et Pollux at the Palais Garnier opera house lasts approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes, with intermission.

Is Castor et Pollux for an international audience or French speakers?

Both! The Palais Garnier opera house has been welcoming audiences from all over the world for many years. The opera, Castor et Pollux, is sung in its original French version. Surtitles are provided in both French and English so that international audiences can appreciate this opera in this incredible Parisian venue.

Where will I be seated, and will I see the surtitles* properly?

At the Palais Garnier opera house, there are a maximum of two categories available, each of which provides a comfortable view of the surtitles. The surtitles are projected above and on the sides of the stage.
*Surtitles (also called supertitles) are the theatre equivalent of subtitles. That’s because in French “sur” means “above”.

Can I choose my seat when booking?

No, unfortunately it is not possible to choose your seat when booking for Castor et Pollux. However, you can choose the category and we will allocate you the best seats in the chosen category!
Please note that tickets of the same category that are booked during the same purchase session, in the same booking order on our website are always assigned side by side. To be sure of this, make sure all of your tickets are in the same category and are included in your shopping cart at the time of purchase.
If there are no available adjacent seating arrangements, our customer service team will contact you before the booking is confirmed.

 

At the Paris Opera, the seats are assigned in odd numbers or even numbers. Therefore, if your tickets are consecutive odd numbers or even numbers (For example: 1, 3, 5,...), they will be adjacent.

 

You can find the seating plan in the theatre’s "photo" section on this page.

Is there a dress code at the Palais Garnier opera house?

There is no specific dress code at Palais Garnier opera house, but proper attire is appreciated. Feel free to dress to impress and reflect the opulent architecture at Palais Garnier!

What is included with my premium ticket at the Palais Garnier opera house?

The Premium tickets are our most exclusive package and include seating in category Optima, the best category in the house, a programme of the show, a glass of champagne, and exclusive access to the magnificent Salon Liebermann.

 

Your programme: At the Palais Garnier, you may obtain your programme in the main shop as well as at the programme stands located in the entry hall and at the bottom of the prestigious Grand Staircase.
Your glass of champagne: You are welcome to enjoy your complementary glass of champagne either before the performance or during intermission. Champagne will be available at the public bars or in the exclusive Salon Liebermann. The Salon is located on the right-hand side of the Grand Foyer, behind the fireplace.

I bought premium tickets for Castor et Pollux and I haven’t received them yet. Is this normal?

Yes, it’s completely normal! As the premium tickets for Castor et Pollux include exclusive add-ons, your order will first be created as a pre-booking so the Paris Opera can assign your seats and prepare your exclusive package.
You may see a pre-charge on your card but you can rest assured that we will not charge your card until the booking is validated by the Paris Opera. After the tickets are confirmed, you will receive your tickets by email.
Given the large number of requests the Paris Opera receives, this process usually takes two business days but can take up to six days maximum. After six days if your order has not been validated, it will be cancelled, the pre-charge will disappear, and you will not be charged.