“The opera seemed so romantic and Bohemian and then it turned into a terrible tragedy,” said the woman standing next to me during the well-deserved standing ovation.

Obviously, eating before the performance is an option, but dining quickly in a Paris restaurant is easier said than done.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: One of the highlights of our trip to Paris was an opera performance at the Palais Garnier. The opera, “Médée” by Cherubini, is in excess of four hours, with two brief intermissions.