Edgar Degas (1834-1917) The Orchestra at the Opera Circa

There are 2 subjects in the paintings
We are invited to observe it from the area reserved for the audience
The first subject is the ballet performance and the second one is the orchestration which is usually heard rather than seen. They are usually been ignored because they are hidden.

Degas knew the musicians personally. The composer Emmanuel Chabrier can be seen in the box and Désiré Dihau, one of Degas' friends who played at the Paris Opera, is the bassoonist. Degas juggled with the traditional arrangement of the orchestra to place him in the centre of the composition.

I really like the contrast between the two subjects and the idea of the painting:)