Opera Garnier. How to select decent but not crazy expensive seats?
 

We've never seen a performance at Garnier and want to be ready for when the December ones go on sale soon. We're deciding between opera --La Cenerentola -- and modern dance -- Forsythe/Brown -- or maybe both.

I've found an old thread about being given a view from the section before you buy them. Can you also tell from that whether the Chagall ceiling is visible? Any general rules of thumb?

Also, have they been mailing tickets to the US?

I cannot recall whether you can tell from the online tool if you can see the ceiling or not, but you should try it out. Doesn't cost anything to scope out the view from different areas of the theater.

FWIW, I sat in a box to the side, second "row" back in the box, and could see the ceiling, though of course during the performance my eyes were glued to the stage.

Have fun. Seeing a ballet at Opera Garnier was one of the highlights of my best trip to Paris.

I am planning to try for the Forsythe Brown tickets. If you google Palais Garnier seating, you should be able to see the "map". I usually try for box seats (on the side to be affordable) but look for the 2 front seats in the box.....the rear seats have limited visibility. The ceiling is visible from most seats.

Thank you, Judy and Leely!

Our tickets for a OG performance last year were mailed to us. You do need to go onto their site to set up an account to order tickets online. I think you will be able to see the Chagall ceiling well from practically anywhere.

We sat in a cool little box for 4...but the odd thing is the seats were numbered front and back... Seat one in the front row, seat two behind that seat...so that was kind of weird.

It's a gorgeous building!

Thanks, denisea. That would be nice for the four of us to have our own box. Do you remember where it was? I guess it's not possible to specify that sort of thing.

I have been in side boxes where the view was pretty limited even in the front row and the people next to me were all sitting way forward so they could see as much of the stage as possible and there was a domino effect. So I would try to sit closer to the center if I were in a box.

I used to have tickets mailed to me in the US, but the last time I went I printed out the tickets on my computer at home.

Not entirely sure 2 or 3 loges de face, but I don't remember the level.

When you purchase your tickets tomorrow you will get to choose exactly where you want them to be (if they're available)

Thanks so much, Nikki, Denisea and Judy!