The Rake's Progress at Opera Palais Garnier

Directed by Olivier Py
Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress at the Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris in 2024, Opera
Opéra Palais Garnier

Until December 23, 2024

English surtitled in French
Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress at the Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris in 2024, Opera
The Rake's Progress at Opera Palais Garnier
Book now From 189€/person

Location

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

Duration

3 h 05 min

With intermission


Details

Opera

For all audiences

In English with French and English surtitles


HIGHLIGHTS: THE RAKE’S PROGRESS

A masterpiece of humour, a sum of pastiches, and Stravinsky’s return to a form of classicism... What’s not to love about this didactic piece? A marvellous opera in three acts with a libretto by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, The Rake’s Progress storms the stage of the Palais Garnier’s gilded auditorium this December 2024.

 

What makes 'The Rake's Progress' unique is its interesting combination of neoclassical and theatrical musical elements as a means of exploring the themes of temptation, corruption, and ultimate downfall. Stravinsky's music is both complex and captivating, incorporating modern rhythms and dissonant harmonies to illustrate the inner torments of the characters it accompanies. The characters featured in this opera are all richly developed and deeply allegorical - Tom represents blind ambition, Nick Shadow symbolises temptation, and Anne Trulove represents the contrasting virtues of pure love and fidelity.

 

For this magnificent production, you can count on the magnificent voices of Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Iain Paterson, and Golda Schultz to bring these timeless characters to life. Olivier Py has brought this profound reflection on human nature, the quest for happiness, and the pitfalls of greed to the stage in a highly contemporary style. Will we find echoes of the paintings by William Hogarth that inspired Stravinsky for this opera? You'll find out for yourself when you buy tickets for this fabulous production. Don't hesitate… this opera is bound to generate lots of attention!

 

 

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: THE RAKE’S PROGRESS

This tale begins when Tom Rakewell, the hero of The Rake's Progress, inherits a great fortune. Seduced by the promise of wealth and pleasure, he leaves his fiancée, Anne Trulove, for a life of hedonistic luxury in London, caught under the evil influence of Nick Shadow, a mysterious man with dark motives.

 

As the story unfolds, Tom faces a series of trials and temptations that lead to his downfall. He squanders his fortune on worldly pleasures, falls under the spell of Nick Shadow, and ends up losing everything he held dear, including his honour and his sanity. Anne Trulove, who remains loyal to Tom in spite of everything, tries to save him — however, it is already too late. Tom ends up in an asylum, broken and ruined, realising far too late the consequences of his actions.

 

The Rake's Progress is an intelligent and ironic exploration of the themes of temptation, corruption, and moral decline through the tragic journey of its allegorical protagonist. Come and discover this work in the sumptuous auditorium of the Palais Garnier, and be captivated by the incredible Baba the Turk…discover her for yourself!

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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.

What do I do when I get to Palais Garnier opera house?

We invite you to arrive 45 minutes before the beginning of the opera The Rake's Progress, and present your voucher at the front desk. Palais Garnier’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 Rake's Progress, last?

The opera The Rake's Progress at the Palais Garnier opera house lasts approximately 3 hours and 5 minutes, with intermission.

Is The Rake's Progress 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, The Rake's Progress, is sung in its original English 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 The Rake's Progress. 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 The Rake's Progress and I haven’t received them yet. Is this normal?

Yes, it’s completely normal! As the premium tickets for The Rake's Progress 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.