Description of the attraction
Moulin Rouge ("Red Mill", Moulin Rouge) - the world's most famous classic cabaret, founded in 1899. It is located on Boulevard Clichy, in the area of Pigalle, in the famous "red light district".
The opening of the cabaret was deliberately timed to coincide with the start of the Paris World Exhibition and the completion of the Eiffel Tower, both of which attracted many guests to the French capital, and the initiators of the project counted on their attention. The name of the cabaret comes from a dummy windmill painted red - it is installed on the roof.
From the very beginning, cabaret attracted not only the middle class, but the aristocracy, people of art. The Prince of Wales, Picasso, Oscar Wilde became its regulars. The initial period of Moulin Rouge's activity was overshadowed by the work of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec - the artist appeared here every evening. His paintings of dancers and dances made cabaret famous.
The main part of the Moulin Rouge evening program has always been a performance accompanied by a cancan performance. This number changed over time: from a dance of courtesans, it gradually turned into an exciting dance of excellently trained ballerinas - with acrobatic stunts, but still with squeals and shouts.
In 1893, one of the Moulin Rouge dancers, for the first time in modern history, completely undressed on stage. It can be considered that a real striptease was performed here for the first time.
In 1915, a fire destroyed the Moulin Rouge, but in 1921 the establishment reopened. During the occupation of Paris, its activities were interrupted, but after the war the performances resumed. Charles Aznavour sang here. Technologically very complex numbers were staged: for example, in 1964, a huge aquarium appeared on the stage, in which naked dancers were swimming.
An innumerable number of songs have been written about the famous cabaret, six feature films have been shot, and a novel has been written.
The cabaret has 850 seats. Now the revue "Extravaganza" is staged here, which is considered the best program of the Moulin Rouge.
On a note
- Location: 82 boulevard de Clichy, Paris
- Nearest metro station: "Blanche" line M2
- Official website:
