Moulin Rouge is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche.
The Moulin Rouge in 2011
Bal au Moulin Rouge, Place Blanche, poster by Jules Chéret, 1889
Moulin Rouge: La Goulue by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1891
Advertising poster of the Moulin Rouge by Alfred Choubrac, 1896
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, does not typically dance but usually sits at tables. Performances are usually introduced by a master of ceremonies (M.C.). The entertainment, as performed by an ensemble of actors and according to its European origins, is often oriented towards adult audiences and of a clearly underground nature. In the United States, striptease, burlesque, drag shows, or a solo vocalist with a pianist, as well as the venues which offer this entertainment, are often advertised as cabarets.
Cafe Le Chat Noir c. 1920
The Café des Aveugles in the cellars of the Palais-Royal (beginning of the 19th century)
The composer Eric Satie playing the piano at Le Chat Noir (1880s)
The Moulin Rouge in 1893