The Performing Arts

Home to a broad range of performing arts, Paris showcases everything from world-renowned opera and classical concerts to the edgy and contemporary theater. Recently, the Opéra Garnier and Opéra Bastille have been kicking out classics such as Puccini's Madama Butterfly and Tosca, as well as hosting performances from the Russian ballet powerhouse, the Bolshoi Theater. Look to companies such as the Odéon Théâtre de L'Europe (www.theater-odean.fr) to push the theatrical envelope by showing a trilogy of Greek tragedies by Aeschylus during the same season as punk legend Patti Smith reading passages from her autobiography, Just Kids. Similarly, the Théâtre National de la Colline (www.theater-colline.fr) is at its best when representing the theater world's virtually unrepresented, such as Pornography by up-and-coming English playwright Simon Stephens, or lesser-known triumphs like Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night.

Listings -- Announcements of shows, concerts, and operas are plastered on kiosks all over town. You'll find listings in the weekly Pariscope, an entertainment guide with an English-language section, or in L'Officiel des Spectacles, available at newsstands. Also check out en.parisinfo.com, the city's official English-language tourism website. The "What's On" section has detailed listing for every concert and show in town. Note: Performances tend to start later in Paris than in London or New York -- from 8 to 9 pm -- and Parisians tend to dine after the theater.

Getting Tickets -- Your best bet for cheap tickets is to try the theater's box office. Or head for a discount agencies such as the Kiosque-Théâtre, 15 place de la Madeleine, 8e (tel. 01-42-65-35-64; www.kiosquetheatre.com; Métro: Madeleine), offering leftover tickets for up to 50% off on the day of performance. Tickets for evening shows sell Tuesday to Saturday from 12:30 to 8pm, for matinees, Sunday 12:30 to 4pm. Other branches are in the basement of the Châtelet-Les Halles Métro station and in front of Gare Montparnasse.

Another option is FNAC at 136 rue de Rennes, 6e (tel. 08-25-02-08-02; Métro: St. Placide); or 1-7 rue Pierre-Lescot, in the Forum des Halles, 1er (tel. 08-25-02-00-20; Métro: Châtelet-Les Halles). The Virgin Megastore-type chain sells music, movies, electronics, and books, as well as tickets for festivals, concerts, and the theater. You can pick up your tickets at the billitterie (ticket booth) of any of these locations, or online at www.fnacspectacles.com. Another great website for reduced-price tickets is www.ticketnet.fr.

Tip: Students with ID can get great last-minute deals by applying for the lottery at box offices an hour before curtain time.

The easiest (and most expensive) way to get tickets is to ask your concierge to arrange for them. A service fee is added, but it's a lot easier if you don't want to waste precious hours in Paris trying to secure often hard-to-get tickets.

The Music of Angels

Some of the most moving music in Paris echoes through its churches, with sounds that can take you back to the Middle Ages. At Eglise de St-Eustache, 2 impasse St-Eustache, 1er (tel. 01-42-36-31-05; www.saint-eustache.org; Métro: Rambuteau), High Mass with the organ playing and the choir singing is at 11am on Sunday. In summer, concerts are played on the organ, marking the church's role in holding the premiere of Berlioz's Te Deum and Liszt's Messiah. Tickets to these special concerts sell for 12€ to 40€. The church is open daily 9:30am to 7pm.

The American Church in Paris, 65 quai d'Orsay, 7e (tel. 01-40-62-05-00; www.acparis.org; Métro: Invalides or Alma-Marceau), sponsors concerts from September to June on Sundays at 5pm. You can also attend free concerts at Eglise St-Merry, 76 rue Verrerie, 4e (tel. 01-42-71-93-93; Métro: Hôtel-de-Ville). These performances are staged with variable musicians based on their availability, from September to July on Saturdays at 8:30pm, and again on Sundays at 4pm.

White Nights (Nuit Blanche) in Paris

Beginning in Paris in 2002, Nuit Blanche, a frenetic all-night multivenue cultural bash, was launched. Since then, the concept has swept such European capitals as Madrid and Rome. Dates for this event vary from year to year. In 2011, the 10th edition of Nuit Blance will take place on October 1. Check the website at www.nuitblanche.paris.fr, or call tel. 01-42-76-65-26 for programming information.

What to expect: The offerings seem endless, including everything from street entertainers to jazz jam sessions. There are modern art shows, theatrical presentations, and music of every genre, even old-fashioned French ballads.

Nuit Blanche events are free and take place, often spontaneously, throughout Paris -- not just in the historic core. As many as two million people take part in the festivities, and many museums and art galleries remain open around the clock.