Palais Garnier hosts dance gala on 10 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 06:03 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Palais Garnier (Opéra Garnier) hosts the Gala in Paris, France, on 10 October 2026 as the Paris Opera opens its new dance season. The programme brings the Ballet company, students and the Junior Ballet together on the theatre stage.
Gala opens the Paris Opera dance season at Palais Garnier
The Gala begins with the Défilé du Ballet, a presentation involving the Paris Opera Ballet company, students of the Ballet School and the Junior Ballet. The event page lists the performance at Palais Garnier on 10 October 2026 at 7.30pm.
The programme then moves through three choreographic works. Juliano Nuñes presents his first creation for the Paris Opera, while Vers un pays sage by Jean-Christophe Maillot and Busk by Aszure Barton enter the company repertoire. The evening also includes music by Hector Berlioz, Samuel Barber, John Adams and several other composers.
The official Gala programme names Alizé Léhon as conductor for the Berlioz excerpt and lists the Paris Opera's Étoiles, First Soloists and Corps de Ballet among the performers. It also identifies the Paris Opera Youth Orchestra and the participation of Ballet School and Junior Ballet students.
Palais Garnier links its 1875 theatre to the 2026 gala
Designed by architect Charles Garnier, the theatre was inaugurated on 5 January 1875. Its Italian-style auditorium has a ceiling painted by Marc Chagall in 1964, while the building also contains the Grand Foyer, the Grand Staircase and a museum-library.
The auditorium can welcome 2,101 spectators, and the building has been listed as a historical monument since 1923. These spaces give the October programme a setting that combines a nineteenth-century theatre, a working ballet institution and public areas shaped for movement between performances.
The relationship between the Gala and the building is particularly direct: the opening event uses the Grand Staircase and auditorium complex associated with the Paris Opera's public ceremonies, while its first section presents the entire dance company together. The Palais Garnier history records the theatre's construction, public rooms and continuing role as a venue for ballet, opera and concerts.
What the 10 October Gala programme contains
The first section is the Défilé du Ballet, followed by La Marche, an excerpt from Act I of Les Troyens. The programme then presents Rings of Saturn, a new work by Juliano Nuñes, before the two repertoire entries.
Vers un pays sage is described as a neoclassical tribute by choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot to his father. Busk, by Aszure Barton, draws on the idea of street performance. Costume, lighting and set credits are listed for the individual works, including costume design by CHANEL for Rings of Saturn.
The event is therefore both a performance and a formal opening for the 2026-27 dance season. For visitors planning a cultural trip to Paris, the fixed date offers a specific way to encounter the theatre through its resident ballet company rather than through a general building visit.
Visiting Palais Garnier: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Gala takes place at Palais Garnier on 10 October 2026, with the performance scheduled for 7.30pm.
- The event is the opening of the Paris Opera dance season and includes the Défilé du Ballet, three choreographic works and the Paris Opera Ballet company.
- The venue is at Place de l'Opéra, 75009 Paris. The Opéra underground station is served by lines 3, 7 and 8; Chaussée d'Antin is served by lines 7 and 9, and Auber is on RER A.
- The building includes the Grand Staircase, the Grand Foyer and an Italian-style auditorium. The auditorium ceiling was painted by Marc Chagall in 1964.
- France's official language is French and its national currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Palais Garnier
When does the Gala take place at Palais Garnier?
The Gala takes place on 10 October 2026 at 7.30pm. It opens the Paris Opera dance season.
What is Palais Garnier?
Palais Garnier is a Paris theatre designed by Charles Garnier and inaugurated on 5 January 1875. It contains an Italian-style auditorium, public foyers, a museum-library and rehearsal spaces.
Where is Palais Garnier and how do you get there?
The venue is at Place de l'Opéra in Paris. The nearest listed transport connections include Opéra underground station on lines 3, 7 and 8 and Auber on RER A.
