Paris Opera Ballet To Make Its Chicago Debut June 25, 2012 I’ve always LOVED Paris and all things French. My grandmother lived in France briefly as a young girl, my great-uncle taught French in Australia for over 20 years, my mother’s family lived in Belgium for 9 years (where they speak French) and I took French in middle school and high school. Sadly, from lack of practice my knowledge of the French language has dwindled, but my love of the country and culture remains strong. I was fortunate enough to go to Paris for Christmas 3 years ago with my mom and I fell more in love with it all. One of the most impressive things I saw on my trip was the Palais Garnier, home of the Paris Opéra Ballet, one of the most well known ballets in the world and the oldest (the company was started during the reign of Louis XIV). While I didn’t get to see them perform – they were touring at the time – I was able to see the beautiful theatre where their performances take place and it was awe-inspiring.
