Paris Opera is the major opera company of France. King Louis XIV founded the institution in 1669 as the Royal Academy of Music. The institution went through a number of name changes before it became officially known as the National Opera of Paris in 1994.
The Paris Opera performs primarily in two buildings, the modern 2,700-seat Opera Bastille, which opened in 1989, and the Palais Garnier. The elaborately decorated Palais Garnier seats about 2,000 people. It opened in 1875 and ranks among the most familiar architectural landmarks in Paris. Small-scale works are staged in a 500-seat amphitheater. The company operates two training programs, the Atelier Lyrique for young singers and singing coaches and the Ecole de Danse for young dancers.
The Paris Opera includes the Paris Opera Ballet, one of the world’s oldest and finest ballet companies. The ballet company grew from a dancing school established by the Royal Academy of Music in 1672. Ballet as a profession can be dated from this period. The most important early manager of the Paris Opera was Jean-Baptiste Lully , a famous composer, who headed the company from 1672 to 1687.
