We asked any of you who attended a concert, a recital or any music or dance performance or stage production outside of the US in the last few years to tell us how you learned about it and how you obtained tickets. The responses this month, comprising part 11 in this ongoing series, are about events attended in France.
During a wonderful trip to Brittany and Normandy, France, with Road Scholar (Boston, MA; 800/454-5768) in September ’08, we explored the city of ROUEN and visited the place where Joan of Arc was burned. Nearby is the Church of Joan of Arc (33 Place du Vieux-Marché, 76000 Rouen, France; phone 02 35 88 02 70), built in 1979 to replace a church destroyed during WWII.
As we entered the church, we found out that there was to be a choir and orchestra concert there the next night and that tickets were still available. We took advantage of a senior discount and bought tickets on the spot for €8 (near $11) each. The choir was the Ensemble Vocal Polychrome, accompanied by the Nouvel Orchestre de chambre de Rouen.
We arrived a little early the next night for the concert and were happy we did, as it was open seating and later arrivals ended up standing for the wonderful performance of Handel’s “Funeral Anthem for Queen Caroline” and “Utrecht Jubilate Deo.”
Many of the churches in Europe have concerts. Some are free, and for others a fee is charged. The concerts we attend in our travels usually are ones that we just happen to come across.
William Schmidt
Clinton Township, MI
Seeing beautiful old churches in Europe is always pleasant, but hearing them filled with music is even better.
In PARIS in 2001, at the suggestion of the Rick Steves’ guidebook, my husband and I attended Mass at Saint-Sulpice (rue St-Sulpice, 6e, Paris, France; phone 01 46 33 21 78), located near Luxembourg Gardens and boasting a very large pipe organ. A bonus was that an 80-voice German choir was singing that day for the Mass.
There is usually a short organ concert after the Mass and then people line up to go up to the balcony to see the organ close up and meet the organist. Almost everyone in line had Steves’ book in hand. While we waited in the line, someone told me about a free concert at Notre Dame Cathedral later that afternoon, so we added that to our agenda.
(I take pride that I visited St. Sulpice before it became even more famous from the novel and movie “The DaVinci Code.”)
Many churches offer free concerts, so it’s a good idea to check weekly tourist newspapers or just look for posted fliers.
Judy Pfaffenberger
Toledo, OH
During the two weeks I spent in PARIS in May ’10, I attended two of the best concerts of my many years.
The Choir School of Notre Dame (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, 6 Parvis Notre-Dame, Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France; phone +33 [0] 1 42 34 56 10) performed an amazing concert that included their children’s, youth and adult choirs in addition to works on their wonderful organ. The program was creative, using all of the groups at one point, and cost only €20 (near $27). It was a wonderful experience.
In addition, I attended a concert at the Sorbonne (1 rue Victor Cousin, 75005 Paris; phone +33 0 1 40 46 22 11), performed by the university’s chorus and orchestra. They performed Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” (appropriate for me, I thought) and Poulenc’s “Gloria” (one of my favorite choral works). The latter work featured a soprano who was outstanding. Again, I paid only €20 for this concert.
I also attended a free concert at noon at La Trinite (Place d’Estienne d’Orves, 75009 Paris; phone +33 01 48 74 12 77), given by the Choir of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Paris. The choir tries to retain the music of the Russian church, and the concert was most enjoyable, although not featuring high-quality musicianship. (Frankly, it reminded me of my own parish choir!)
Pariscope is the weekly magazine which comes out on Wednesdays (available at all newsstands for €0.40) and gives information regarding all entertainment for that week. Although it is in French, it is easy to decipher, even for those of us who barely remember our college French!
For all concerts, I was able to buy tickets at the door.
Norma Jenkins
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Special exhibits at museums in FRANCE can attract huge crowds and long lines, and tickets can sell out well in advance. We have used FNAC several times to buy tickets with specified entry times for exhibits we didn’t want to miss. FNAC, located in major cities throughout France, is a chain of stores selling electronics, books, etc., plus tickets to events anywhere in the country.
Advance tickets can be purchased from FNAC either in person at any of its stores (English generally is spoken) or online. For a map of store locations, go to the website www.fnac.com and click on “Magasins.” If you need it in English, click on “Spectacles & Voyages” and then on the British flag.
To purchase tickets online, visit www.fnactickets.com. Tickets purchased online can be picked up in any FNAC store, or you can print your tickets at home for a small additional charge. The credit card you use for the purchase will be needed to retrieve your tickets in person, so be sure to bring it with you.
We used FNAC most recently to buy tickets for “Cezanne in Paris” at the Musée du Luxembourg on Nov. 6, 2011. We picked up our tickets at our first stop in France, Aix-en-Provence, because our schedule in Paris was tight.
I like using FNAC because its site is pretty user-friendly, it covers museums as well as events all over France (i.e., provides one-stop shopping) and it can be accessed in English. We learned about FNAC’s capabilities through links on French sites.
As far as I know, advance tickets for museum exhibits can also be purchased at the counters of all museums and on at least some of the museums’ websites.
Feel free to contact us via e-mail c/o ITN with questions. Bon voyage!
David Fulk & Mary Rack
Shawnee Mission, KS