The Moulin Rouge was the heart of La Belle Époque in Paris, a place where eccentrics, artists and performers rubbed shoulders with aristocrats, socialites and working girls. In its 135 years it has survived multiple scandals, being burned to the ground and being occupied by Nazis and is now more popular than ever. But these days the spectacle is more Las Vegas than Paris, a polished performance for a conveyer belt of tourists from across the globe. So has the Paris icon lost its soul? 

Guest: Will Visconti, Italian lecturer at the School of International Studies at the University of Technology, Sydney.