The Hidden "Foyer de la Danse" Behind the Orchestra Seats

Open the door in front of the orchestra seats and you'll find a hidden space. We can't go in ourselves, but here's what it is. Beyond the door are first the ground-floor seats, then the stage, and behind the stage lies a dance rehearsal room.

Dancers have warmed up here before performances since the 19th century, and it's still used the same way today. Ballet instructors and opera ballet directors also hold meetings here. In photos, it's so lavish that it looks less like a rehearsal room than a miniature Grand Foyer, and the ceiling is said to hold portraits of 20 dancers who were famous in Paris.

The reason for the splendor is that this was a place to show off to regular subscribers. Until 1930, subscribers could meet the dancers they supported here, which is why the room is also called the "Foyer de la Danse" ("foyer of dance"). Today it is no longer open even to subscribers.