Some thoughts about Paris
This is a space I'd like to use to share some of the things I find special about Paris, and how you might experience them as well. For now (Summer 2007), I'm focusing on classical music in the City of Light.
Classical Music in Paris
Attending a classical music event is a fantastic way to experience Paris. It's a way to experience the city as the Parisians do, surrounded by music and those who appreciate it. Concerts are an easy way to enjoy Paris casually, on your own schedule, and they are often a way to get into neat buildings you might not otherwise have access to. And, for the record, I have never spent over 25 Euros on a ticket; it's more often 10 or 15, if not free.
I have heard world-famous pianists playing Chopin on Steinways by candlelight in a centuries-old church; string quartets in stunning museums and concert halls; vibrant student orchestras in recitals, and ensembles playing in chapels once reserved for kings.
On one visit, I woke up Sunday morning, opened my guide over a strong coffee, and found I had a selection of more than sixty concerts to go to - on that day alone. And many of them were free. The venues ranged from halls, to museums, to churches, to academies, and even hospitals.
My record, on this same trip, was four concerts in a day.
How to Do It
Buy a Guide - There are several weekly guides for Paris.
There is a guide with an English section called Pariscope, which is good.
My favorite, however, is called "l'Officiel des Spectacles," which is sold at newsstands all over Paris. It will cost you the princely sum of 35 Euro cents (about 40 US cents). Inside is a guide to almost everything happening in Paris that week, and while it is in French, it is easy to decipher.
Look for the classical concerts section inside, choose your day, and take your pick. Events are listed in chronological order, with the program, the name of the venue, and the price indicated. Often the listing will say "Ent. Libre" (free) or "Ent. Part." (pay-as-you-wish). Because the venues are listed only by name, you must consult the list at the front of the section to get the address (and phone number) of the venue, as well as the arrondissement (district) and Metro stop for the concert.
Look for Posters - The area around Notre Dame is a treasure trove of information: look around on fences and buildings for fliers for concerts. Often you will see ads for concerts on the nearby Ile St. Louis (at the glorious church there), at Sainte Chapelle just down the Ile de la Cite, and, best of all, at the small church of St. Julien le Pauvre, just over the Seine by the Pont au Double in the 5th. If you are in town only for short stay, look for posters that say "ce soir," which means "tonight."
Some Favorite Places
The charm of Paris is, for me, found more at a smaller, more intimate level than at the larger venues such as the Opera Bastille.
In no particular order, I am fond of St. Julien le Pauvre, where I go to hear the Chopin by candlelight I mentioned, Sainte Chapelle, where concerts are held in a church that is a Gothic masterpiece, any concert at the Musee Carnavalet (in the 3rd), where the setting (a salon dating back hundreds of years) is as special as the music, and, finally, anywhere I see a concert taking place in a venue I have not visited: a concert at the Czech Cultural Center, a free concert at an art studio in the 19th, or a quartet at the Invalides, for example. Remember to be adventurous - if it's in the guide, it's open to the public.
My Best Concert Story
My partner Alan and I once tried to attend a concert at Radio France. It was a concert that was being recorded live, and, as we discovered on arrival, it was sold out.
We discussed alternative plans, like a nice dinner, when I noticed that two students who had been holding a sign were now smiling and holding tickets. The sign read, "We need tickets." I asked nicely if we could have the sign, and, moments later, my partner and I stood sheepishly with our new sign in the lobby as people flooded by.
After a few minutes, we were rewarded: a woman had had some no-shows for her series tickets - would we like two? "May I pay you?" I asked, only to be gently rebuffed with an embarrassed, "no, no." We sat in prime seats for a rendition of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, in front of a "grand orchestre" and live on French Radio.
Final Tips
Since the venues I attend are often smaller, it's often possible to meet the artists after a concert. If you'd like to practice your French, it's very easy to say, "merci" to the artists who just played. They will be delighted.
Often CDs are sold after the concert, which is an easy way to support artists as well as take a great memory of the experience home with you.
Please email me if you have any questions or something to share. I hope you enjoyed it!
- Kieran
