Jacques Offenbach was a French composer who died nearly 130 years ago in Paris. Although he composed many operettas, The Tales of Hoffmann has become his most famous and most performed work. Nietzsche thought that Offenbach could be described as more of a genius than Wagner. Zola described operetta as a "public enemy", a "monstrous beast" that should have been "strangled" at birth, and Offenbach was generally known as "the Mozart of the Champs-Élysées," not necessarily a compliment.

Whatever your opinion of "opera lite", seeing a musical performance in the wonderful surroundings of the Jardin du Sénat (in the Luxembourg Gardens) has to be an exceptional event, and for four nights in June you can get a bit of culture and greenery yourself in the heart of Paris. There's the standard experience at 39€ - 67€ (programmes and blankets will cost you extra) or the VIP treatment ("Carré Or") which includes:

- a personalised invitation
- individual welcome with 'hostesses'
- buffet dinner with a fair bit of champagne (the site says 'à discretion' which is not the same things as 'à volonté')
- a "Vie de Château" badge (whoop-de-doo!)
- free programme and official "open air opera" blanket

All this will only cost you 250 euros each! Oh, if you want the limousine, get ready to shell out an extras 360 euros (this is not a joke).

Bear in mind that the whole thing might be cancelled at the last minute if - heaven forbid - the weather looks dodgy.
Hotel Paris
Here's all the essential information for experiencing The Tales of Hoffmann outdoors in the Luxembourg Garden

When: 11th - 14th June 2008
Where: Jardin du Sénat, Place Paul Claudel, Paris 6th arrondissement. Métro Odéon (lines 4 & 10) or RER Luxembourg (line B)
Show starts: 9.30pm. Careful - you have to be there no later than 9.15pm or they won't let you in!
Price of tickets: from 39€ - 610€ (see above)
How do I know whether it's cancelled because of the weather: call 0 892 390 100 (0.34 euros/min)
Official site: here


Bigger map here