Travel tips for opera lovers – Paris and Debussy

Debussy in Paris

The series about historical places of opera art & culture. Get to know exciting excursion and travel ideas for opera lovers. This time: Debussy in Paris.

All Destinations on google maps with links to detailed Blogposts:

Debussy in Paris

Debussy came to Paris at the age of 10 and attended the conservatory for 13 years. He was a difficult student, his personality was austere, but he had a great attraction for the female sex. Twice later relationships ended with suicide attempts (both times with revolvers) of his companions when they found out about Debussy’s love affairs. The second time, the victim was his first wife and it became a gigantic social scandal that temporarily drove Debussy and his later second wife, Emma Bardac (also married), out of Paris. In 1905 his beloved daughter “Chochou” was born, to whom he dedicated his “Children’s Corner”.

Debussy remained faithful to Paris with interruptions and premiered most of his works here; his only opera “Pélléas et Melisande” was successfully premiered at the Opéra Comique in 1902.

TO THE OVERVIEW OF ALL DESTINATIONS “OPERA & CLASSIC OF PARIS“.

Destination Avenue Foch 80 (former Avenue Bois de Boulogne)

Debussy lived here from 1904 until his death. It was the villa of his second wife Emma Bardac. The house is located in a posh residential neighborhood and can not be visited.

Stravinsy in Debussy’s house:         

Destination Musée d’Orsay

Marcel Baschet portrayed Debussy in 1884 during Debussy’s stay in Rome. It shows a slightly sullen and melancholic-serious young man (Debussy was 22 years old) whose personality remained “difficult and impenetrable” throughout his life.

Baschet’s portrait of Debussy:

 https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en

Destination Cemetery Passy

Debussy’s grave is in this cemetery of celebrities near the Trocadéro, with a beautiful view of the Seine. Debussy died in 1918 of colon cancer, which was diagnosed in 1909 and made his life increasingly difficult.

When Debussy died on March 26, Paris was under fire and only a small funeral procession could accompany him to the cemetery.

Debussy’s grave:

https://www.paris.fr/equipements/cimetiere-de-passy-4481