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1、Unit 5 Text B The Paris Opera House 1The Paris Opera House is thought to be one of the greatest pieces of architecture of its period. Located on the northern part of Avenue De LOpera in the 9e arrondisement, it was founded in 1669 by King Louis XIV. 2The idea of the opera house was first proposed in
2、 the 1858 during the Second Empire by Baron Haussmann who was granted authorization for the project by Napoleon III. 3The cause for this new opera house actually stemmed from Napoleon III. When he was arriving to the premiere of a new singer with his wife, the royal procession was bombed by a group
3、of dissenters. Over eighty people were killed, prompting Napoleon III to ask for an opera house with a covered side entrance where royalty could enter discreetly. When plans finally were made for the design of the opera house, over 200 entries were informally submitted, and 171 were chosen to be vie
4、wed. Charles Garnier received the commission after some deliberation. He was an unknown architect, but a stunning design and several court allies hand a hand in his success. 4Work on this structure began in 1861 and ended fifteen years later. On January 15, 1875 marked the opening of the Palais Gran
5、ier (Paris Opera House). The construction of the opera house was plagued by numerous setbacks. One major problem which postponed the laying of the concrete foundation was the extremely swampy ground under which flowed a subterranean lake, requiring the water to be removed by eight months of continua
6、l pumping. More setbacks came as a result of the disastrous Franco-Prussian War, the subsequent fall of the Second French Empire, and the Paris Commune. During this time construction continued sporadically, and it was even rumored that construction of the opera house might be abandoned. The building
7、 cost over forty-seven million francs, and gave its creators and workers a massive headache.5The House seats two thousand and has seventeen stories, taking up three acres of land. Seven of these are below the ground, and two contain pieces of the famous lake later depicted in Lloyd Webbers The Phant
8、om of the Opera.6The interior is filled with gold leaf and velvet. There are cherubs and nymphs everywhere. The chandelier is over six tons in weight. The ceiling itself was painted by Marc Chagall in 1964.7The Paris Opera House is now thought to be a masterpiece because Garnier had made wonderful u
9、se of the difficult and cramp site. The carriage ramps, the steps, the foyers and staircases were both planned and sectioned with skill and confidence.8Part of the mystique of the opera house is the levels that it inhabits underground. There are chorus rooms, green rooms, ball rooms, set rooms, cell
10、ars for waste props, closets, dressing rooms, and many more kinds of rooms making up the building. The underground levels contain all sorts of gruesome objects from various operas that have been produced. Their gruesome effect sparked the idea behind Gaston Lerouxs The Phantom of the Opera. The lake
11、 on the last floor was unintentionally sprung when a worker knocked against a pipe underground. It has been seen by a few select eyes alone, as normal tours only permit the top of the house to be seen. 9The Phantom of the Opera, later turned into an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, was a book based upon
12、 the opera house. It portrays a young singer, Christine, and the Phantom who falls in love with her, Erik. Other characters include Meg, a young dancer, and Raoul, the lover that eventually wins Christines heart. In true Parisian tradition, Lerouxs tale decrees that the Phantom is a mysterious force
13、 underground, and was once a circus exhibit that went wrong. In the book, and also the show, all levels of the opera house are used, from the lowest cellar to the roof. The Phantom kills, maims and scares members of the cast, who in turn chase him down and drive him from the theater. In the original
14、 story, the Phantom commits suicide by drowning himself because he cannot win Christines love. 10The Paris Opera House today is open for touring, and remains one of the leading spots to visit in Paris. A show in this grand house is an unforgettable event. Exercises of Text BPart One Answer the follo
15、wing questions according to the above passage.1. Why did Napoleon III propose the idea of opera house?2. What kind of setbacks was the construction of the opera house plagued by?3. In what way is the Paris Opera House thought to be a masterpiece? Part Two Scan the passage again, and then match the w
16、ords listed on the left below with the best of definitions on the right. Write the number of the definition you choose in the space provided. 1. grant A. extremely attractive or impressive 2. dissenter B. happening after sth. else 3. prompt C. a difficulty or problem that delays or prevents sth. 4. deliberationD. agree to give sb. what they ask for 5. stunning E. the process of carefully considering or discussing 6. setback F. live in a particular place 7. disastrous
