Folies Bergere 03/20/20…read more
My first visit to Paris we had tickets to a show at Folies Bergère. The experience was one that is burned into my memory. The place is historic. Beautiful chandeliers came down from the ceiling. Women in feathered costumes were on stage and hanging from the chandeliers. Nudity unseen in my world at that time can not be forgotten. Needless to say I've never been to a show like that again.
I can see by the recent reviews the place is not the same. Shows like Cabaret and Zorro can not replicate the spirit of the original shows. I see that Yelpers are not posting or reviewing. Maybe it's a Senior Citizen crowd now.
What I know:
"Folies Bergère is a cabaret music hall, located at 32 rue Richer in the 9th Arrondissement, the Folies Bergère was built as an opera house by the architect Plumeret. It opened on 2 May 1869 as the Folies Trévise, with light entertainment including operettas, comic opera, popular songs, and gymnastics. It became the Folies Bergère on 13 September 1872, named after nearby rue Bergère. The house was at the height of its fame and popularity from the 1890s' through the 1920s."
The Folies Bergère inspired the Ziegfeld Follies in the United States and other similar shows. The Folies Bergère catered to popular taste. Shows featured elaborate costumes; the women's were frequently revealing, practically leaving them naked, and shows often contained a good deal of nudity. In 1926 Josephine Baker was brought over from NYC. Many notable performers have entertained the audiences at the Folies.
CC Wikipedia
If you want more info look online. I'm so glad I saw one of the traditional performances before they faded into the past. The photos I'm posting are from Wikipedia. They are Public Domain. I don't need a photo. I remember my experience like it was yesterday. I had a peak experience that I enjoyed immensely.