With the grand, albeit premature opening of the new concert hall and exhibition space, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, on January 14, the former Cité de la Musique in the Parc de la Villette was reborn as the bigger, shinier, Philharmonie de Paris. Its location, in the 19th arrondissement on the city’s north-eastern edge, makes it a strategic cultural fulcrum that’s unmissable for inveterate Parisienne concertgoers and still approachable for the less-privileged residents of the périphérique.

During Lang Lang’s 101 Pianists masterclass at the Philharmonie
The grand inauguration was somewhat marred by the notable absence of the architect. According to an interview in Le Monde, Nouvel objected to the opening date being brought forward several weeks, before the venue had undergone proper acoustical testing and adjustment. Peu importe, this grand venture was opened without the tests read on…

[France Today Magazine – April 2015]