Opera and Ballet in Paris for Newcomers: Where to Start

This guide is for people who have moved to Paris from abroad and would like to try opera or ballet at the Opéra de Paris, whether on their own, as a couple or with children. It covers the two main theatres, how the season works, how ticket sales open and which kinds of performance make a good first visit.

• The two houses and the smaller stages
• How the season works
• Getting tickets
• Good ways in for first-timers
• Going with children
• FAQ

The two houses and the smaller stages

The Opéra de Paris (the national opera and ballet company) performs in two main theatres. The Palais Garnier is the older gilded building, and this season the company is marking its 150th anniversary with its own strand of events. The Opéra Bastille is the larger modern house, and many of the big opera productions are staged there. Ballet is performed in both. You can see what is on in each theatre by using the venue filter on the Opéra de Paris website.

Two other names are worth knowing. The Studio and the Amphithéâtre are smaller spaces used for talks, chamber music and public rehearsals. The Amphithéâtre Olivier Messiaen, for example, is the venue for a public rehearsal of Path 19 by Lucinda Childs, part of the Pulsations programme. Extra Mural covers events held outside the two theatres. If the main stage feels like a big step, these smaller formats are an easy way to try things out.

How the season works

The Opéra runs a single season that mixes opera, ballet, concerts and recitals, along with special events. The website calendar lets you filter by type of show, by theatre and by date range, and has quick views for today and next week. Look out for the “The great classics” and “New shows” filters: the first gathers familiar repertoire and the second the newer work.

At the moment the programme includes Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet L’Histoire de Manon, Rossini’s opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia and the mixed ballet programme Inner Landscapes, with pieces by Jean-Christophe Maillot, William Forsythe and Aszure Barton. This season the Opéra is also staging Wagner’s Ring in full at the Opéra Bastille as the RING Festival 2026, and sells RING passes for people who want to see the whole cycle. The Ring is a long commitment, so it is probably better as a second visit than a first. Check the official site for the dates of each part.

Later in the year, Rituals, a ballet programme with works by Serge Lifar, Shahar Binyamini and Pina Bausch, runs at the Opéra Bastille from December into January.

Getting tickets

Tickets for a group of productions go on sale together, on a set date, and popular shows sell quickly. According to the Opéra’s homepage, sales open on 10 November at 12pm for Idomeneo (Mozart), La Fille mal gardée (Frederick Ashton), Kaguyahime (Jo Kanamori with The Tokyo Ballet), Roméo et Juliette (Gounod), Don Pasquale (Donizetti), Raymonda (Rudolf Nureyev) and Giselle (in a version by Johan Inger). If you want one of these, put a reminder in your calendar and be online at noon.

The homepage does not list prices. You will find current prices on each show’s page and in the “Prices” section of the Opéra’s own site. There is also a “My special offers” area, which is worth checking once you have an account. Public rehearsals are booked separately: for the Lucinda Childs rehearsal, the site says tickets can be booked from 2:30 pm.

Good ways in for first-timers

For a first evening, a story ballet with a clear plot is hard to beat. La Fille mal gardée, Raymonda and Giselle all appear in the upcoming sales. Giselle will be Johan Inger’s version rather than the traditional staging, so read the show page before you book. For opera, Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Don Pasquale are lighter choices than Wagner.

If you would like to start with something shorter or cheaper, the calendar has several lower-key formats: Public Rehearsals, Concerts at noon, Chamber music, Musical encounters, and Toï toï toï, a series of talks named after the good-luck wish performers say to each other. The website also publishes short videos and interviews, including rehearsal footage of Aszure Barton’s Busk and Forsythe’s Rearray. Watching one before you go makes the evening easier to follow.

Some productions are screened in Pathé cinemas, which is a relaxed way to find out whether opera is for you. For visually impaired audiences, the site lists performances with audiodescription.

Going with children

The Opéra has a “With family” filter and a “Young audiences” category, so you can see what is aimed at younger people without going through the whole season. There is also a “Pre-opening for the young” category, and the Académie, the Opéra’s training programme for young artists, has its own listings. The homepage does not give age guidance for individual shows, so check each show’s page before booking with children.

For younger children, the nearby Philharmonie de Paris concert hall complements the Opéra well. Its Philharmonie des enfants is a music play space for children aged 4 to 10, open every day. The Orchestre de Paris, the city’s symphony orchestra, gives 76 concerts there this season.

FAQ

Which theatre should I choose for my first visit?

Choose the show first and the theatre second. Both the Palais Garnier and the Opéra Bastille host opera and ballet, and the venue filter on the Opéra de Paris website shows what is on in each.

How much do tickets cost?

The homepage does not give prices. Each show’s page and the Prices section of the Opéra de Paris website have current prices, and the “My special offers” area may show extra deals.

When do tickets go on sale?

Productions go on sale in groups. The next sale opens on 10 November at 12pm for Idomeneo, La Fille mal gardée, Kaguyahime, Roméo et Juliette, Don Pasquale, Raymonda and Giselle.

Is there anything for children?

Yes. The Opéra lists shows under “With family”, “Young audiences” and “Pre-opening for the young”, so check each show’s page for suitability. For ages 4 to 10, the Philharmonie des enfants at the Philharmonie de Paris is open every day.

For more practical guides to settling in, visit Mylistingo.

Official sources: operadeparis.fr · philharmoniedeparis.fr

Last checked: 30 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Prices, opening hours and programmes change; the venue’s own site always has the current details.