Opéra Bastille

Opéra Bastille
The opéra Bastille on place de la Bastille in September 2012.
Location within Paris
General information
Type	Opera house
Location	Paris, France
Coordinates	48°51′7″N 2°22′14″E / 48.85194°N 2.37056°E / 48.85194; 2.37056
Current tenants	Paris National Opera
Construction started	1984
Completed	1990
Inaugurated	1989
Design and construction
Architect	Carlos Ott
Other information
Seating capacity	2,745
Website
operadeparis.fr

The Opéra Bastille (French   ) (Bastille Opera House) is a modern opera house in Paris, France. Inaugurated in 1989 as part of President François Mitterrand’s “Grands Travaux”, it became the main facility of the Paris National Opera, France's principal opera company, alongside the older Palais Garnier; most opera performances are shown at the Bastille along with some ballet performances and symphony concerts, while "Garnier" presents a mix of opera and ballet performances.

Designed by Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, it is located at the Place de la Bastille, in the 12th arrondissement; it seats 3,309 people in total, with a main theatre, concert hall and studio theatre.

The idea for a new "popular and modern" opera house in Paris first came up in the 1880s, only years after the opening of the palais Garnier. It would remain virtual for a century and re-emerge periodically due to the recurrent "crisis at the Opera" and to the limitations imposed on modern opera production by the palais Garnier. It was notably promoted in 1965–1968 by stage director Jean Vilar, the most prominent figure in "popular theatre" at the time, who had been commissioned a reform project for the National Opera Theatre and echoed composer Pierre Boulez’ provocative appeal to "blow up opera houses", as well as by senior civil servant François Bloch-Lainé in a 1977 report on the Opera's management and perspectives.