Blog | HPRG Degas at the Opera exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay until 19th January 2020 – Hotels Paris Rive Gauche Blog

Degas at the Opera exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay until 19th January 2020

Degas adore the Paris Opera his entire life, as can be seen in his paintings (of the auditorium, the stage, the foyer, backstage, rehearsals…).

Now, the Musée d’Orsay, not far from our hotels, has organised an exhibition showing a number of his paintings on the them, giving a brand look at the Paris Opera in the 19th century.

Degas came from a musical family – his father organised musical salons, and Degas made a series of portraits of its visitors.

Later, he dived deep into the world of the Opera in order to paint the scenes of ballet and other dance classes that are now famous. In fact, these works were an immediate success, starting in 1870.

Exposition Degas à l'Opéra au Musée d'Orsay jusqu'au 19 janvier 2020
D.R.

Over the years, Degas proved his masterly way of portraying the special lighting in theatres, playing with unusual viewpoints and changing the format of his canvases around 1879 for a double square which he called ‘long paintings’.

Later, around 1899, he found new inspiration in the heavy use of colour, ‘orgies of colour’ as he called it. In his scenes, the Opera became almost an imaginary world.

Exposition Degas à l'Opéra au Musée d'Orsay jusqu'au 19 janvier 2020
D.R.

Linked with the exhibitions there’s:

a performance / exhibition by Cypriot artist Christodoulos Panayiotou, called Dying on Stage,

three conferences, including one called Un singulier revenant : l’opéra dans la culture contemporaine on 5th December, with Olivier Pi,

— A curieuse nocturneMascarade ! Bal masqué à l’Opéra – starting at 6.30pm on 16th January 2020 (aimed at the under-26 crowd, as they get in free), which will transform the museum into a masked ball in the grand tradition on the ones held at the Opera house,

— as well as the usual guided visits and workshops for kid and families.

A catalogue of the exhibition is also available (320 pages, 250 illustrations, 49€ here at amazon.fr).

Exposition Degas à l'Opéra au Musée d'Orsay jusqu'au 19 janvier 2020
D.R.

The exhibition Degas à l’Opéra (Degas at the Opera) is at the Musée d’Orsay (here) until 18th January 2020

Opene every day except Mondays from 9.30am-6pm (9.45pm Thursdays)

Admission: 14€ / 11€

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Exposition Degas à l'Opéra au Musée d'Orsay jusqu'au 19 janvier 2020