Degas at the Opera, the exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay - Photos

Degas at the Opera, the exhibition on view at the Musée d'Orsay from September 24, 2019 to January 19, 2020, takes us into "his own bedroom", on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the Paris Opera. It has to be said that Edgar Degas was fascinated by the Opera and loved to paint the life of this universe!

We know a lot about Edgar Degas, but few know that the painter was fascinated byopera, appreciating this microcosm that brings together music and dance. At the Musée d'Orsay, Degas ' work at the opera is on show in a beautiful exhibition.

From September 24, 2019 to January 19, 2020, the Parisian museum brings together dozens of paintings and drawings by the Impressionist. Throughout his career, Degas sought to capture movement and life. He first turned to Boulogne sur Seine, on the Baie de Somme, but soon combined his passion for music and dance by immortalizing life at the Opéra.

Thanks to his knowledge, he explored the various public spaces, including the auditorium and the stage, as well as the dressing rooms and the dance hall, and immortalized all the players in this universe: the dancers, the singers, the orchestra musicians and the spectators. For over 40 years, the artist portrayed theParis Opera in the 19th century, through iconic works such as La loge, La Petite Danseuse de quatorze ans and Le Foyer de la Danse.

For the Musée d'Orsay, this exhibition is a textbook case: "until now, no exhibition has looked at the Opéra as a whole, studying Degas' passionate connection with the house, his musical tastes, and the infinite resources of this marvellous 'toolbox'. Through the work of an immense artist, we discover the portrait of theParis Opera in the 19th century."

Alongside his works is a magnificent model of the Opéra Garnier, signed by the Atelier romain Gianese and dating from 1985, offering a breathtakingly beautiful longitudinal section of the opera house, 5.78 metres long and 2.4 metres high, accompanied by models of sets created for numerous operas and ballets, including Faust, Aïda, La Source and La Muette de Portici.

Degas was one of the "reporters" of his time, immortalizing every stage in the life of a piece with the same enthusiasm, and taking the opportunity to develop his art, painting.

Complemented by tours of the collections and/or the exhibition, performance itineraries devised by the Paris Opera Ballet, concerts and encounters with stage directors, there's plenty to get you excited aboutopera again, without regret. We love it!

Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.

Degas at the Opera, the Musée d'Orsay exhibition - photos

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