European ballet venues

Palais Garnier the Foyer de la Danse

The Photo: One of the worlds most beautiful assignation spots, the Foyer de la Danse in the Palais Garnier in Paris. An institution, the Foyer de la Danse in the opera house was the privileged meeting point between subscribers and dancers. It had its golden age in the decades 1820-1880. The Foyer de la Danse was discussed in my post for March 28, 2011 entitled Ballet Sex.

A proposed European trip: During June, July and August Anya and I will be visiting Taryn (outside Cambridge) and Tanaquil (in Bavaria) as well as major ballet performance venues in London, Paris, Vienna, Stuttgart and Milan. Tanaquil has made special arrangements for Anya and me to have intimate encounters in these venues ballet studios, some of which; Paris, Stuttgart and Milan were the scene of early innovations in classical ballet technique and costuming. Gigi will be with Jacques in Hawaii, Cyndi will be with her mom, Fiona, visiting her maternal grandfather’s castle in England and Aimée is returning to her home in France to visit her parents before returning to St Lucy’s for Fall term. All the arrangements aren’t final as yet but it should be an amazing time.

Our itinerary:

London: Royal Opera House: The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in the London district of Covent Garden. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Originally called the Theatre Royal, it served primarily as a playhouse for the first hundred years of its history. In 1734, the first ballet was presented. A year later Handel's first season of operas began. Many of his operas and oratorios were specifically written for Covent Garden and had their premieres there. The current building is the third theatre on the site following disastrous fires in 1808 and 1857. The façade, foyer and auditorium date from 1858, but almost every other element of the present complex dates from an extensive reconstruction in the 1990s. The Royal Opera House seats 2,268 people and consists of four tiers of boxes and balconies and the amphitheatre gallery. The proscenium is 12.20 m wide and 14.80 m high. The main auditorium is a Grade 1 listed building.

Paris: Palais Garnier: The Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra de Paris or Opéra Garnier or Grand Opera House, but more commonly as the Paris Opéra, is a 2,200 seat opera house. A grand landmark designed by Charles Garnier in the Neo-Baroque style, it is regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time. Upon its inauguration in 1875, the opera house was officially named the Académie Nationale de Musique - Théâtre de l'Opéra. It retained this title until 1978 when it was re-named the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris. After the opera company chose the Opéra Bastille as their principal theatre upon its completion in 1989, the theatre was re-named as the Palais Garnier, though its more official name, the Académie Nationale de Musique, is still sprawled above the columns of its front façade. In spite of the change of names and the Opera company's relocation to the Opéra Bastille, the Palais Garnier is still known by many people as the Paris Opéra, as have all of the many theatres which have served as the principal venues of the Parisian Opera and Ballet since its founding.

Stuttgart: Staatstheater: The Staatstheater Stuttgart (Stuttgart National Theatre) is an opera house in Stuttgart, Germany. It is also known locally as the Grosses Haus, having been the larger of two theatres of the former Königliche Hoftheater. Designed by the noted Munich architect, Max Littmann, who won a competition to create new royal theatres, it was constructed between 1909 and 1912 as the Königliche Hoftheater, a royal theatre of the Kingdom of Württemberg with a Grosses Haus and a Kleines Haus. In 1919 the theatres were renamed the Landestheater, and later, the Staatstheater. The Small House was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War and, today, the site is occupied by a new Kleines Haus, which opened in 1962. The Grosses Haus is the only major German opera house to survive the bombing of the Second World War. Between 1982 and 1984, extensive renovations restored it to its original condition and it now seats 1,399.

Vienna: State Opera House: The Vienna State Opera Ballet, like the opera company, is based at the Vienna State Opera House in Vienna, Austria. The original building was destroyed by Allied bombing in 1945.The ballet company performs to a worldwide audience each New Year's Day by means of the Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Day Concerts, the televised broadcast of which includes several pre-recorded dance sequences.

Milan: La Scala: La Scala (Italian: Teatro alla Scala), is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala (Italian: Nuovo Regio Ducale Teatro alla Scala). The premiere performance was Antonio Salieri's Europa riconosciuta. Most of Italy's greatest operatic artists, and many of the finest singers from other nations, too, have appeared at La Scala during the past 200 years. Today, the theatre is still recognised as one of the leading opera and ballet theatres in the world and is home to the La Scala Theatre Chorus, La Scala Theatre Ballet and La Scala Theatre Orchestra. The theatre also has an associate school, known as the La Scala Theatre Academy (Italian: Accademia Teatro alla Scala), which offers professional training in music, dance, stage craft and stage management.