L'Opéra Bastille Theater

Of Paris' two main opera houses, Opéra Bastille is the contemporary one, its angular structure designed by Canadian-Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott and inaugurated in 1989.

Located in Place de la Bastille across from its iconic gold-topped tower, the opera house is in a busy neighborhood packed with bars and restaurants. Pedestrians often take breaks on the steps leading up to Opéra Bastille's entrance; groups of friends squat there, passing bottles of wine.

A controversial construction, the opera house's exterior is a mélange of shiny silver and transparent material also employed in the airy, atrium-like interior. François Mitterand, president at the time of its construction, initiated the project to create a "modern and popular" opera house and relieve demand from classical Opéra Garnier.

The building opened on the eve of the bicentennial of the storming of the Bastille; Plácido Domingo was amongst the performers.

Past operas at the Opéra Bastille include Don Quichotte, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliette, Coppélia, Little Red Riding Hood, and Carmen.