Opera Francesca da Rimini in the theatre de l'Opéra in Paris

The opera Francoise de Rimini is being performed at the Opéra in Paris. A conductor gives instructions to an opera singer and the orchestra on the stage. The author of the opera, Ambroise Thomas, sits to the right of the conductor. Two heads with large hats of ladies in the audience are cut off by the image border in the foreground.