The Paris Opera gives a concert against the pension reform in front of the Palais Garnier

After the dancers, the Paris Opera orchestra performed on Saturday January 18 on the forecourt of the Palais Garnier in Paris. On strike for a month and a half, the musicians, the choir and the technicians offered a crowd of passers-by, tourists and teachers on strike an extract from "Troyens", Berlioz's opera which traditionally accompanies the annual parade of the Ballet de l ' Opera.

"La Marseillaise" played by the striking Paris Opera orchestra. A huge crowd in front of the square. Power and chills. # GreveJanuary 18 #reformedesretraites pic.twitter.com/d2yO8DEExg

Also on the program: "Le Trouvère" by Verdi or "Carmen" by Bizet, before ending with "La Marseillaise", under jets of confetti, loud applause or "long live the strike!" launched by spectators.

For José Sciuto, one of the executives of the Opera's decoration workshop, it is a question of asking "the withdrawal of the reform" of pensions. "With actions of this type, open to the public, we believe that our demands, our voice will be heard," he explained.

"We are so unhappy not to be able to give our shows that we express ourselves differently, in the street, to show our audience that we are not on vacation," Fabien Wallerand, tuba player, told Reuters. in the Opera orchestra.

Representatives of various trades of the Opera marched around the orchestra, against the background of banners "Culture in danger" and "French comedy on strike", cheered by the spectators.

In December, the dancers of the Paris Opera ballet had given an extract from "Swan Lake". The images of the representation, given in protest against the government's plan to reform pensions, had gone around the world.

In a month and a half of strike action, 67 shows have been canceled by the Paris Opera, including three performances of the "Barber of Seville" in recent days. A new notice compromises that of Monday.

Several thousand protesters in Paris

Other actions were organized on Saturday in Paris against the pension reform. Thousands of demonstrators marched at the call of "yellow vests", chanting anti-Macron, anti-police or anti-pension slogans, a rally marked by tear gas and arrests, noted a AFP journalist.

Tensions erupted early in the afternoon with the police, who intervened "to disperse a block that was trying to constitute a procession," according to the Paris police headquarters. At 3:45 p.m., 32 people had been arrested, the same source said.

The situation was particularly tense between the Place de la République and the Place de la Bastille, where the police fired tear gas and de-encircling grenades around 4:00 p.m. The procession split and traffic was disrupted. Hooded youths shouted "Revolution!" When CRS called to evacuate the area.

The procession arrived under the tear gas at Place de la Bastille, where there were many law enforcement vehicles.

With AFP and Reuters

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