⚠️ The date displayed at the top of this event comes from the official source. The original description mentions other dates that may be outdated.
Jacques Offenbach Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévi
First performed at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal on October 31, 1866, La Vie parisienne was an immediate success. A few weeks after the premiere, the imperial couple discovered the work, as did the Tsar of Russia, Alexandre II, who was visiting Paris for the Exposition universelle. The two authors of La Belle Hélène, Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, were already seasoned hands. And the composer, Jacques Offenbach, once again serves the libretto brilliantly with melodies that are both lively and daring. What is more, the theme of this opéra bouffe had great appeal: just as the gare du Nord (1866) and the Théâtre du Châtelet (1862) had recently opened, La Vie parisienne depicts an everyday life ruled by pleasure! Having become a world city, the capital, now rivaling Londres, attracted artists, businesspeople, and tourists alike... and this opéra bouffe portrays the burlesque encounters between these different figures. As we can see, the substance of the piece is nothing; but fantasy unfolds in it so abundantly and so wittily, the music is so brisk, so sprightly, so thoroughly representative of its genre, that La Vie parisienne has traveled around the world. Albert Vallin, “La Vie parisienne, Compte-rendu analytique”, Le Photo-Programme, Revue artistique illustrée, IV, 1896-1897 theatrical season. La Vie parisienne is therefore a snapshot of the city, its inhabitants, and their customs at the very end of the Second Empire. And while the capital dazzles tourists with its art of celebration, the demi-monde knows how to toy with Tout-Paris. None of this escaped the authors, who, by playing on the inversion of social roles, describe Parisian society of the 1860s with caustic wit, and at times even severity. Following in their footsteps, Valérie Lesort as director, joined by Éric Ruf for the scenography, Vanessa Sannino for the costumes, and the troupe of the Comédie-Française, view this past through the lens of the present day, in turn casting a gaze that is both sympathetic and critical on the human comedy. This performance is presented as part of the Opéra pour tous! label. SECRETS OF A WORK To learn more about La Vie parisienne, a presentation of the show takes place 45 minutes before the performance begins, at the Salon Diaghilev, with Jean-Claude Yon, a historian specializing in 19th-century opera, and Aurélien Poidevin, head of editorial content at the Théâtre du Châtelet, on Tuesday, June 16 and Friday, June 19, Tuesday, June 23, and Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 6:45 p.m. (Free admission, reserved for ticket holders for that day’s performance).
Price: From €5 to €50
Source: paris.fr — photo: Thomas Amouroux