Nestling in a small square away from the hustle and bustle of the Boulevard des Italiens, the Opéra-Comique, also known as the Salle Favart, is one of Paris's best-kept secrets. Founded under the reign of Louis XIV, it is one of France's oldest theatrical and musical institutions, alongside the Opéra de Paris and the Comédie-Française. In 2005, it became one of 6 national theatres, and in 2015 it celebrates its... 300 years!

The location is symbolic: it is here that internationally renowned works such as Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust, Delibes's Lakmé, Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande, Ravel's L'Heure espagnole... but above all Bizet's Carmen and Massenet's Manon were created. Statues of these two rebellious heroines still welcome spectators in the theatre's main hall.

Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique: 1 Place Boieldieu, 75002 Paris