Charles Garnier's Opéra

In 1878, three years after the inauguration of his monument, Charles Gamier wrote in his Le Nouvel Opéra : « Opera is a rich art - a synthesis of the arts - and the place where men come to taste it must prepare, accompany and complement their pleasure. The building must be in unison [...]. »

One and a half centuries later, the Opéra Garnier, whose every aspect was carefully conceived by that architect of genius, continues to astound visitors, dazzling them with a succession of architectural sensations : the golds of the façade, the polyphony of the marbles, the extraordinary statuary decorating the pediments, loggias and avant-corps, and, of course, the great staircase. Everything heralds the spectacle that will take place on stage.

Gérard Fontaine is our guide through the monument's secret and magnificent labyrinths. In this fascinating account, in which Garnier's own voice is heard in a selection of quotations, all the artworks, paintings and sculptures, as well as the techniques and materials are inventoried. This comprehensive survey, accompanied by Jean-Pierre Delagarde's superb photographs, recreates for readers the fabulous atmosphere of this mythical place, of this total work of art.