The
Paris Opera (
French ) is the primary
opera company of France. It was founded in 1669 by
Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of
Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be known more simply as the .
Classical ballet as we know it today arose within the Paris Opera as the
Paris Opera Ballet and has remained an integral and important part of the company. Currently called the , it mainly produces operas at its modern 2700-seat theatre
Opéra Bastille which opened in 1989, and
ballets and some classical operas at the older 1970-seat
Palais Garnier which opened in 1875. Small scale and contemporary works are also staged in the 500-seat Amphitheatre under the Opéra Bastille.