The Paris Opera, in co-production with INIT Lab, presents a new 180° VR immersive experience entitled In the Footsteps of an Étoile – Behind the Scenes at the Palais Garnier. It will be available to visitors to the Palais Garnier during daytime opening hours from 1 July to 30 November 2026.  

For the first time, visitors to the Palais Garnier will have the opportunity to step behind the scenes of the Paris Opera alongside Étoile dancer Bleuenn Battistoni through the immersive experience In the Footsteps of an Étoile – Behind the Scenes at the Palais Garnier, filmed in 180° and presented on Apple Vision Pro headsets.

From the stage door entrance to the rooftops of the building, this unprecedented journey offers visitors the chance to explore, as if they were truly there, spaces that are usually closed to the public. Visitors witness key moments in the daily life of the Étoile dancer: a ballet class in one of the iconic studios beneath the Palais Garnier’s dome, a costume fitting in the intimacy of the costume workshops, and a rehearsal on stage of John Neumeier’s La Dame aux camélias, before plunging into the orchestra pit with the Paris Opera Orchestra conducted by maestro Markus Lehtinen. The experience concludes with a breathtaking view from the top of the building at sunset.

Directed by Matthieu Genre, this approximately 10-minute film was designed to allow the viewer’s gaze to move freely within the 180-degree image. The experience will be offered to visitors to the Palais Garnier from 1 July to 30 November 2026, in the Rotonde du Glacier, where 10 Apple Vision Pro headsets are installed within a scenography designed by designer Tom Ducarouge.

“This immersive experience gives audiences access to spaces and moments that are not usually shared. Through spectacular viewpoints and unprecedented proximity to the artists and the many crafts of the Opera, it invites everyone to discover the Palais Garnier from an entirely new perspective.”
Alexander Neef, General Director of the Paris Opera

“Choosing immersion as a medium is not merely a technological decision; it responds to a narrative necessity. The viewer’s gaze is no longer guided by traditional editing but left to the initiative of the spectator, who becomes active in the way they explore the image. This freedom requires a specific form of writing, based on continuity, clarity of trajectories, and precise transitions.”
Matthieu Genre, director of In the Footsteps of an Étoile and founder of INIT Lab

INIT Lab is a Paris-based creative studio that designs and produces immersive experiences combining image, technology, and storytelling. Specializing in 180° 3D video, augmented reality, and bespoke interactive applications, the studio develops new ways of telling and experiencing stories. With ten years of expertise in audiovisual production, INIT Lab creates experiences where technology fades into the background in favor of emotion and immersion.