The Paris Opera’s Annual Report is representative of the company’s elegance as well as the remarkable scale of its productions. Tall and slender, the report is at once impressive without appearing overwhelming. The cover is in a simple taupe, showcasing the financial year 2016/17, in a large stylized white font with the logo of the company centered at the top.
The first several pages clearly and simply front-load messages from company personnel, a few statistics and key dates. This initial section also includes the many types of performances hosted by the Paris Opera, and the varying colours of red, green, white and black on the taupe background allow the report to remain eye-catching while conveying necessary information.
The most striking feature of the document, however, is the ingenious use of high-definition photographs that intersperse messages about the company’s larger artistic goal, educational ventures and future plans. These photographs depict dancers and sets from several productions and highlight the artistic range of the company. A selection of wide-shots emphasize the impressive size of the ensembles and sets, while close-ups reveal the detailed expressions and movements of the dancers. A few photographs also encompass entire pages accompanied by strategically placed quotes from media reviews.
Such information is conveyed, fittingly, with a graphic of a smartphone that showcases stills from the company’s app along with social media figures for the past year.
The report also shifts its focus slightly from dancers and productions to its publicity campaigns, accompanied by images of advertisements in and around Paris. While stylistically different from the images of productions and dancers, these photographs capture the place of art and dance in public spaces like the Paris Metro and the city streets.
The report concludes with in-depth statistical and financial information for the 2016/17 year. This information, presented in the same colour scheme as the first few pages of the report, is laid out in an orderly manner with infographics and graphs alongside lengthier explanations.
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