The Paris Opera

The movie cameras are back at The Paris Opera again, but unlike Fredrick Wiseman's 2009 documentary "La Danse," and the 2015 film "Reset" (that tracked�Benjamin Millepied's first full year as the Opera Ballet's new director), this new film from�Swiss director Jean-Stephane Bron is all about� drama -- most of which seems to happen off-stage.

The film is a�fascinating glimpse at some of the behind-the-scenes action during the 2015-2016 season which proved to be one of the most tumultuous in the company's long history.�They had some greatly acclaimed premieres and revivals, but also more complex issues such as several strikes, Millepied wavering about staying or going, and, to top it off, there was the terrorist attack that killed 89 at Bataclan Theater.

The Opera, with its two homes -- the historic Opera Garnier and the ultramodern Opera Bastille -- also had a newly appointed director,�Stephane Lissner, in place.�We see him juggling all his functions, from welcoming President Hollande to a performance, to putting his stamp on the opera selections for the season, to instructing his negotiators on the strike, and even demanding that they lower ticket prices, which have skyrocketed more than inflation.

He is just one of the key players that Bron's camera follows throughout the film, but the lack of any narration combined with the fact that they didn't edit it chronologically, made it hard to follow some of the drama at times. In some instances they were odd fleeting glances of a scenario or two that were simply baffling.

However, sometimes his rather subjective choices of what to film and follow gives us some gold nuggets, such as an extended scene with the Welsh bass-baritone star Sir Bryn Terfel. He also follows the progress of charming young Russian singer�Mikhail Tymoshenko, from his initial audition for the Opera's Academy to giving solo recitals that enthrall the audience, even though Tymoshenko is seen in his dressing room berating himself.

The emphasis on the performers and not the performances means that the very brief glimpses we see of the operas and ballets are usually from the wings. The director's cameras are, however, very central when it comes to filming some elementary children being taught wind instruments; strangely enough, they are -- without exception -- singularly unhappy about the whole experience.�Even the enormous bull dragged onto the stage to be an fleeting opera star didn't look as miserable as they did.

The Paris Opera is not just a must-see for any opera/dance aficionados but also anyone who loves fly-on-walls documentaries. While this may not be a perfect documentary, it is nevertheless still fascinating to view.