The Cunning Little Vixen at Opéra Bastille

Directed by André Engel
The Cunning Little Vixen by Leoš Janáček at the Opéra Bastille in Paris in 2024, Opéra
Opéra Bastille

Until February 1, 2025

Other languages with surtitles
The Cunning Little Vixen by Leoš Janáček at the Opéra Bastille in Paris in 2024, Opéra
The Cunning Little Vixen at Opéra Bastille
Book now From 97€/person

Location

Opéra Bastille
Place de la Bastille, 75012 Paris
Capacity 2700 seats

Duration

2 h 05 min

With intermission


Details

Opera

For all audiences

In Czech with English and French surtitles


HIGHLIGHTS: THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN

Here’s a story that boasts an impressive cast: a gamekeeper, a schoolteacher, a priest, a cunning vixen, a dog, a cockerel, an innkeeper, a hen, a woodpecker, a badger, a jay, even flies, crickets, grasshoppers, and frogs…

 

An opera featuring this rag-tag group is what we invite you to discover on the stage of the Opéra Bastille in January, via Leoš Janáček's brilliant The Cunning Little Vixen. If you’ve never heard of this opera, we wouldn’t blame you — whilst this isn’t the most well-known piece on the operatic repertoire, it is certainly a hidden gem… Read on to see why!

 

This piece is a veritable celebration of nature, rural life, and the free spirit. Amidst these whimsical virtues, The Cunning Little Vixen is an opportunity for the composer to play with splendid harmonies and boast unique lyricism and romanticism, which work wonderfully in tandem with the pastoral subject. A three-act opera that delves into the cycle of life, The Cunning Little Vixen is based on short stories by Rudolf Tésnohlídek, and from this stimulus Janáček blends folklore, music, and theatre, from which a tangle of musical themes celebrating the forest emerges. Subtle poetry and great tenderness is evoked through contrasting dance rhythms, making a true fairytale for the ages.

 

On the stage of the Opéra Bastille, André Engel sets out to stage men and animals (we're really curious to discover how!), featuring the Russian soprano Elen Tsallagova as the voice of the vixen. Bass-baritone Iain Paterson will play the gamekeeper. Contemporary talents breathe life into this forgotten piece. Discover its whimsy for yourself!

 

 

See details for our premium option below!

PREMIUM OPTION AND EXPERIENCE at Opéra Bastille

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 Berlioz + Show
Indulge in the premium opera experience! 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 Opéra Bastille's Salon Berlioz — an intimate space reserved for our premium guests.

 

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.

SYNOPSIS OF THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN

A truly sumptuous opera, The Cunning Little Vixen brings all the tenderness and orchestration of Czech composer Leoš Janáček to the stage of the Opéra Bastille.

 

In a leafy glade, a gamekeeper seizes a vixen with the intention of domesticating her. Of course, he doesn't succeed, and she soon escapes. She runs into the woods, frolics and falls in love with a fox. They marry and have many cubs, and all seems well… that is, until one day, when all hope is dashed and the fox is fatally shot by a huntsman. As the gamekeeper mourns and ponders the forest, where everything begins anew, he spots one of the fox's cubs…

 

A wonderful woodland story with exquisitely beautiful music! Don't miss this unique opportunity to see in Paris one of the greatest little-known operatic masterpieces of the 20th century.

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Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille, 75012 Paris

History and Fun Facts about the Opéra Bastille

 

Designed by Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, the building was commissioned by French President François Mitterrand and inaugurated in 1989. For years, many had lamented the lack of a modern venue in Paris capable of welcoming modern concerts and performances with different acoustic approaches, and the flexibility that a modulable venue lends. A movement started in the 1960s called for a larger new venue in Paris that would appeal to the masses, a modern compliment to the elaborate Palais Garnier. Just over 100 years after the inauguration of the Palais Garnier, the demands finally won over the newly-elected President Mitterrand, who supported the project as the headliner among many modern works launched during his term. Selecting the popular Bastille neighbourhood for its ease of accessibility from Paris and the surrounding areas, the old Bastille Train Station was destroyed to make way for the construction of the new venue. The building was completed just in time for the bicentenary of the French Revolution.  

 

The venue has undergone many changes in direction resulting from varying political affiliations, and has undergone major renovations since its construction to repair and to soundproof the entire structure. Unlike other auditorium designs, each and every seat at the Opéra Bastille guarantees an unrestricted view of the stage. With its white glass ceiling, crisp gray compliments, and black seating adorned with rich oak, the venue is an ode to modernity and simplistic design. From the exterior, made of blue granite from Brittany and blocks of glass, light is reflected from every corner of this angular venue.

 

Fast facts
Capacity: 2,745
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)

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FAQ

How do I get to Opéra Bastille in the 12th arrondissement of Paris ?

The Opéra Bastille is accessible by:
Metro: Line 1 (station Bastille), line 5 (station Bastille), line 8 (station Bastille)
RER: Line A (station Gare de Lyon)
Address: 120 rue de Lyon, 75012 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.

What do I do when I get to Opéra Bastille?

We invite you to arrive 45 minutes before the beginning of The Cunning Little Vixen, and present your voucher at the front desk. Opéra Bastille’s English-speaking staff members will guide you to your seats.
The concert hall’s doors close 15 minutes after the start of the performance and reopen at intermission if the performance includes one.
If you arrive within 15 minutes after the start of the performance, you will not be allowed to enter the opera house and will be directed to an area with a television where you can watch the first part of the show. You will be able to return to your seats during the intermission if the performance includes one.

How long does the opera, The Cunning Little Vixen, last?

The opera The Cunning Little Vixen at Opéra Bastille lasts approximately 2 hours and 5 minutes, with intermission.

Is The Cunning Little Vixen for an international audience or French speakers?

Both! The Opéra Bastille has been welcoming audiences from all over the world for many years. The opera, The Cunning Little Vixen, is sung in its original Czech 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 Opéra Bastille, each category provides a comfortable view of the surtitles. The surtitles are projected above and on the sides of the stage. Our Premium tickets offer the best view of the stage and surtitles.
*Surtitles (also called supertitles) are the theatre equivalent of subtitles. That’s because in French “sur” means “above”.

Is there a dress code at Opéra Bastille?

There is no specific dress code at Opéra Bastille, but proper attire is appreciated. Feel free to dress to impress and reflect the fabulous contemporary architecture at Opéra Bastille!

Can I choose my seat when booking?

No, unfortunately it is not possible to choose your seat when booking for The Cunning Little Vixen. 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.

What is included with my premium ticket at Opéra Bastille?

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 Berlioz.

 

Your programme: At the Opéra Bastille, you may pick your programme in the main shop as well as at the programme stands located at the main entrance, on the 2nd and 4th floors.
Your glass of champagne: You can choose to enjoy your glass of champagne before the performance or during intermission. Champagne will be available at public bars or in the exclusive Salon Berlioz. The Salon is located on the 1st floor, at the right of the entrance to the Opéra Bastille. It is accessible by elevator or by stairs.

I bought premium tickets for The Cunning Little Vixen and I haven’t received them yet. Is this normal?

Yes, it’s completely normal! As the premium tickets for The Cunning Little Vixen 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 has to manage, 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.