Completed in 1875 the Opéra Garnier in Paris was commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III. The name refers to the architect Charles Garnier. The building is designed in an eclectic style known as Napoleon III's architecture.
At the end of the nineteenth century, the opera house was a place for the Paris elites to socialize. Opera performances were perceived differently then. The audience had a membership for an entire season at the opera, not a ticket for a single show, as is the case today. The same opera was performed every night, and viewers came to the opera many times a week, watching only a fragment of the performance each day. The main purpose of the visit was not the performance itself, but meeting other people. They had dinner together at the opera, talked about important matters and exchanged gossips. We must remember that it was a time without television and internet. The Opéra Garnier was the place to get the latest news.
