We have never been to a ballet and only once to the opera. While we are in Paris there are three possible performances . They are:

1. La Dame aux camélias - John Neumeier
Ballet en un prologue et trois actes (1978) - D’après le roman d’Alexandre Dumas fils

2. Lucia di Lammermoor
Opéra en trois actes (1835)
Livret de Salvatore Cammarano d’après La Fiancée de Lammermoor de Walter Scott et la tragédie tirée du roman par Victor Ducange
En langue italienne

3. Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Salomé
Drame lyrique en un acte (1905)
Livret tiré de la pièce d’Oscar Wilde dans une traduction allemande de Hedwig Lachmann
En langue allemande

The first one is at Garnier, the second and third are at Bastille. Anyone one familiar with these and would care to comment on them?
We went to La Clemenza di Tito at Garnier two years ago and are thinking of something for this year.

I don't know about the venues, but for the music, Lucia without a doubt.

There is no doubt that I'd choose the ballet, most of all because of the venue. And I'm sure it will be a beautiful production.

I don't know about you, but I have a modern performing arts center not far from my home where I can see opera. I needn't go to Paris for that.

That said, I have never seen any of the productions you mention, although I'd say that ekscrunchy is correct about Lucia having the most celebrated music of the three, probably for good reason.

We saw that production of Lady of the Camelias last summer. While my first choice would normally be an opera, and Lucia di Lammermoor is a good one, I wanted to see something at the Garnier, and was glad we did.

The story is very easy to follow with dance only, and the ballet is very good. Excellent production values like sets and costumes as well.

Go for it.

robjame, are you sure of that performances ? I mean, friends of mine went to Paris to see Lucia de Lamermoor and Salome before Christmas..there are lots of performances at the Bastille but I think they don't last for soooo long..

Between the two operas I'd definitely go for Lucia as the music is nicer; it's more "typical" classical music whereas Strauss is more modern and less tuneful. I don't know the ballet in question so can't comment on that.

As to opera v ballet, as you probably know the opera Garnier is a much nicer venue than the opera Bastille in terms of location and atmosphere. As you don't seem to have strong feelings on which performance you'd prefer, maybe go with the ballet for the nicer venue?

Stupid me!!! I went to the opera national website and the calendar they are showing is Sept-Dec 2006 and Jan-Jul 2007. They haven't posted the calendar part of their site for Sept 2007 yet. Arrrghhh.
My apologies.

I received an email from the Opera National (which includes ballet), and the whole 2007-2008 season is on it. The ballet in September is Wuthering Heights and the operas are Capriccio, Ariane et Barbe-Bleue, and L'Elixir d'amour. Since I received this email with the full calendar, I'm guessing it's somewhere on their website. Let me know if you want me to forward the email to you.

P.S. Dame aux Camelias must be a favorite, because they are doing it again in June 2008.

http://www.operadeparis.fr/Saison-2007-2008/Operas.asp

For those reading this, robjame has already posted another thread with the corrected choice of productions. Any more converstation here really doesn't add to the "new" situation.

Sorry I have corrected this list of operas available. Please go to thread:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34965808