Paris Opera Orchestra

The Orchestre de l’Opéra National de Paris has its roots in the Académie d’Opéra, founded by Louis XIV in 1669, which sowed the seeds of opera in France. Across three centuries and numerous changes of name, the orchestra has played operas and ballets in a succession of Parisian theaters, including new works by Lully, Gluck, Rossini, Meyerbeer, and Wagner. Its current name was coined in 1972, following one of the periodical reorganizations of operatic life in Paris. Today it provides players for productions of opera and ballet at the Opéra Bastille and the Palais Garnier. Notable achievements in the modern era include the premiere of the completed version of Alban Berg’s opera Lulu in 1979, and the first performance of Olivier Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise in 1983. The orchestra has also developed a significant presence in the concert hall, playing non-operatic repertoire, touring, and making recordings.