Sémiramis and Don juan at Opéra Comique

Conducted by Jordi Savall
Sémiramis et Don Juan à l'Opéra Comique, opera, ballet, paris, tickets
Opéra Comique

Until May 28, 2025

No dialogue

Location

Opéra Comique
Place Boieldieu - 75002 Paris
Capacity 1200 seats

Duration

1 h 25 min

With intermission


Details

Ballet

For all audiences

No dialogue


HIGHLIGHTS: SÉMIRAMIS & DON JUAN

Fans of farce and choreographic connoisseurs can both rejoice - allow us to introduce you to this ballet-pantomime.

 

A marriage of two different theatrical words, ballet-pantomime is a subgenre recognised for its reliance on dance and pantomime to tell its narrative, without recourse to the spoken (or sung) word.

 

Inspired by the ballet d'action of the 18th century, ballet-pantomime places the emphasis on the expressiveness of the body and movement to convey the story and the emotions of the characters. The dancers, through their gestures and fluidity, embody the actions, feelings, and dialogue, immersing the audience in an exciting world that transcends language.

 

True to the spirit of the genre, words alone don’t do justice to the shows — it’s simply something you have to discover for yourself. This season, the Opéra Comique offers you the chance to see not one, but two of Gluck's pantomime ballets in a single evening: Sémiramis and Don Juan. This dual performance invites you to witness a show wherein primacy is finally given to expressive gesture over all the conventions of the time — marvel at the uniqueness of this subgenre and discover the artistic difference that is cultivated as a result.

 

Here’s the icing on the cake: the great and internationally-renowned Spanish conductor Jordi Savall will be standing at the helm of the equally revered orchestra of Le Concert des Nations. Musical excellence reaches its full potential in this unique show!

RESUME: SÉMIRAMIS & DON JUAN

The Opéra Comique has a penchant for offering original shows and works that are rarely performed on-stage in the 21st century. This season, nothing has changed — two pantomime-ballets, created in Vienna in 1761 and 1765, take to the Opéra Comique’s storied stage once more.

 

Sémiramis and Don Juan marked a turning point in the history of ballet and opera. These works, the fruit of a collaboration between Gluck and the choreographer Angiolini, defied convention as a part of the German composer's artistic reform. Characteristically, these pantomime-ballets are recognised for their absence of traditional song and dance. Instead, the dancers within these pantomime-ballets don simple costumes and use expressive gestures to tell complex stories in a total departure from the conventions of the time.

 

Sémiramis provides an intimate exploration of love, revenge, and destiny in ancient Babylon. It is promptly followed by Don Juan, which offers an artistic depiction of seduction, damnation, and redemption, represented incarnate by the titular character.

 

Upon their premieres, these ballets were an immediate success and would go on to have an immense influence on Romantic ballet and later composers. Via these two works, Gluck's innovative spirit is embodied and expressed; his profound desire to create dramatic and innovative art is apparent in the immaculacy of his masterful panto-ballet blends.

 

A once-in-a-lifetime extraordinary show… you won’t want to miss out!

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Opéra Comique

Place Boieldieu - 75002 Paris

History and Fun Facts about the Opéra Comique


If you take a walk in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, you will be delighted to discover in the small, quaint Place Boieldieu, a superb building of beautiful proportions topped by six caryatids: the Opéra Comique, a theatre house in Paris, which celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2015. You will be surprised to learn that this gold and red auditorium, also known as Salle Favart, is considered the first modern theatre in France because it was the first to be designed with fully electric equipment for both public and stage lighting.


That doesn’t rest as the only surprise… Despite its name, the Opéra Comique doesn’t only perform comic operas, a particular kind of musical show that mixes sung arias with spoken theatre (the ancestor of the musical), but a wide range of operas as well! It was in this venue that works that are now internationally known were created, such as Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust, Delibes's Lakmé, Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande... but also Massenet's Manon and Bizet's Carmen! This hall has welcomed the finest composers and never ceased to welcome works from the contemporary repertoire. Viva la musica! Viva l'opera!



Fast facts
Capacity: 1200
Handicap Accessible: Yes
Air conditioning: No
Heating: Yes
Coat Check: Yes (free service)

FAQ

How do I get to the Opéra Comique in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris?

The Opéra Comique is accessible by:
Metro: Line 3 (stations Opéra and Quatre Septembre), line 7 (station Opéra), line 8 (station Grands Boulevards), line 9 (station Grand Boulevard)
RER: Line A (station Auber)
Address: 1 place Boieldieu, 75002 Paris
In case of difficulty, our hotline can be reached during our business hours. Please see the footer of this page for our contact details.

What do I do when I get to Opéra Comique?

We invite you to arrive 45 minutes before the beginning of Sémiramis and Don Juan, and present your voucher at the front desk. Opéra Comique’s English-speaking staff members will guide you to your seats.

How long do the ballets, Sémiramis and Don Juan, last?

Together the ballets Sémiramis and Don Juan last approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, with no intermission.

Are Sémiramis and Don Juan for an international audience or French speakers?

Both! The Opéra Comique welcomes audiences from all over the world! Dance is a universal language, therefore, the dance pieces, Sémiramis and Don Juan, are accessible to anyone from any corner of the world.

Can I choose my seat when booking?

No, unfortunately it is not possible to choose your seat when booking for Sémiramis and Don Juan. However, you can choose the category and we will allocate you the best seats in the chosen category!
Please note that tickets of the same category that are booked during the same purchase session, in the same booking order on our website are always assigned side by side. To be sure of this, make sure all of your tickets are in the same category and are included in your shopping cart at the time of purchase.
You can find the seating plan in the theatre’s "photo" section on this page.
If there are no available adjacent seating arrangements, our customer service team will contact you before the booking is confirmed.

Is there a dress code at Opéra Comique?

There is no specific dress code at Opéra Comique, but proper attire is appreciated. Many Parisians will arrive directly from work, dressed in business casual or chic attire.