The purpose of the American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet is to share the many treasures of the Paris Opera directly with the American public and to foster artistic cooperation between the Paris Opera and the creative community in the United States. Based in New York, the organization was incorporated in 1984 in response to a request by Rudolf Nureyev, then the Director of the Paris Opera Ballet, to tour the company in the United States. Recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt foundation in 1985, the group has helped underwrite numerous U.S. tours of the Paris Opera, Paris Opera Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet School, traveling exhibitions from the Paris Opera Museum and appearances of guest artists from the Paris Opera Ballet, as well as many productions at the Paris Opera that prominently feature the participation of American artists, such as Jerome Robbins, Trisha Brown, William Christie, Peter Sellars and Robert Wilson.

The work of the American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet is supported by contributions, grants, and bequests from individuals, foundations and corporations. It currently maintains five permanent funds: The Annenberg Fund for Franco-American Projects, the Marina de Brantes Anniversary Fund, the Eugenia Delarova Doll Fund, the Florence Gould American Artists Fund and the Young Artists Fund.

Annual membership in the Friends begins at $1,000 (fully tax-deductible) and includes many attractive benefits for donors, including patron ticket services at the Paris Opera through the Association pour le Rayonnement de l'Opéra de Paris (AROP) and over twenty other European opera houses through the FEDORA network, listing in theater programs at the Paris Opera and during U.S. engagements, invitations to attend special events and the opportunity to join organized trips to major international cultural destinations.