This mighty operation includes both the Palais Garnier, pl. de l’Opéra, 9th arrond. (an attraction in itself, see above) and the Opéra Bastille, pl. de la Bastille, 12th arrond., a slate-colored behemoth that has loomed over the Place de la Bastille since 1989, when the national opera company decided it needed a new home. Not wanting to abandon the Palais Garnier, the company decided to split its energies between the two venues. In theory, more operas are performed at the Bastille, which has more space and top-notch acoustics. The Garnier, home of the Ballet de l’Opèra de Paris, focuses more on dance, but the reality is you can see either at both. Subtitles are often available in English. The opera program sticks pretty much to the classics (although the productions themselves can be cutting edge), while the ballet offerings are becoming more adventurous.