Nice Opera: programme, tickets and access

Updated on 24 September 2026

A few steps from Place Masséna, the Nice Opera occupies an 1885 building listed as a historic monument. Its 2026-2027 season mixes opera, ballet and symphonic concerts, with seats priced from €6 to €94 depending on the performance. Here is the programme, the box office and how to get there.

Where the opera house is, and what it looks like

The public entrance is at 4-6 rue Saint-François-de-Paule, in the heart of Old Nice, a few minutes' walk from Place Masséna and Old Nice. The building's other facade faces the Quai des États-Unis and the sea.

The current building opened on 7 February 1885 with Verdi's Aida, to designs by the Nice architect François Aune approved by Charles Garnier. Eclectic style, an Italian-style auditorium, 1,083 seats: the whole building has been listed as a historic monument since 31 March 1992.

Worth knowing before you book: an emergency conservation programme has been running since spring 2026 (a plaster fragment came away from a box balcony in May), and a major refurbishment is announced for 2027-2030. Performances continue throughout, in line with safety rules. Indicative information, check the official Opéra Nice Côte d'Azur website before travelling.

The 2026-2027 programme

The 2026-2027 season, titled "Escaping", covers three strands:

• Opera: Handel's Orlando (30 September - 6 October), Wagner's Tristan und Isolde (27 January - 3 February), Unsuk Chin's Alice in Wonderland (9 - 14 March), Manon Lescaut (30 April - 6 May) and Pagliacci;
• Ballet: a programme by Jean-Christophe Maillot and Ioannis Mandafounis (17 - 25 October), then Sleeping Beauty and an April programme;
• Concerts: the Nice Philharmonic gives seven symphonic concerts, three of them conducted by Lionel Bringuier, plus chamber music at the opera foyer and the Chagall museum.

Every work sung in a foreign language is surtitled in French. For the rest of the city's agenda: the Nice events calendar and Nice Jazz Fest.

Prices and ticket office

Prices change from one performance to the next. On the official agenda, seats run from €6 to €94 depending on the work and the category. Rough guide:

• Opera: usually €12 to €94 (e.g. Orlando, Tristan und Isolde);
• Ballet: €6 to €34;
• Symphonic concerts: €10 to €34;
• Reduced fare (-50%): students, under-30s, jobseekers, disabled visitors and one companion — proof required;
• Special fare (-15%): groups, associations and company committees.

Under 30: a €5 seat one hour before the performance (all categories, subject to availability) and the €10 Carte J open up discounts all season.

Where to buy: online 24/7, at the box office (4-6 rue Saint-François-de-Paule, Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm, closed Mondays; performance days from one hour before curtain) or by phone on +33 4 92 17 40 40. Tickets can still be collected at the counter up to 5 minutes before the show starts. Full price lists on the official website.

Getting there and parking

• Tram: line 1, "Opéra Vieille Ville" station, two minutes from the entrance;
• Bus: lines 8+ and 12+, "Masséna" stop;
• Car: Parcazur park-and-ride sites (Vauban, Port Lympia and others) keep you out of the city-centre traffic.

Fares, maps and connections: tram and bus in Nice.

Tips before you go

• Doors usually open one hour before the performance; arrive at least 30 minutes early to find your seat calmly.
• The digital ticket (barcode on your phone) means no queue at the counter.
• Leave a little time before going in to look at the facade: it is the best angle on rue Saint-François-de-Paule.
• After the show, the city-centre terraces are a short walk away: Nice after dark.

Frequently asked questions