▁French ▁government ▁created ▁the ▁"" ▁( RT L N ), ▁which ▁combined ▁the ▁Paris ▁Opera ▁with ▁the ▁Op éra - Com ique ▁and ▁made ▁them ▁government ▁ag encies , ▁rel ieving ▁them ▁from ▁the ▁need ▁of ▁trying ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁profit . ▁R ouch é ▁became ▁the ▁overall ▁administrator ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁organization ▁with ▁Philippe ▁Ga ub ert ▁direct ing ▁the ▁Opera ▁and ▁Henri ▁Bü s ser ▁man aging ▁the ▁Op éra - Com ique . ▁ ▁The ▁occupation ▁and ▁after ▁During ▁the ▁Occ up ation , ▁the ▁V ich y ▁Government ▁sought ▁to ▁control ▁the ▁Opera , ▁while ▁R ouch é ▁and ▁his ▁associ ates ▁fought ▁to ▁retain ▁some ▁independence . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁and ▁the ▁or chestra ▁had ▁sought ▁refuge ▁in ▁C ah ors , ▁but ▁were ▁ordered ▁back ▁to ▁Paris ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁R ouch é , ▁already ▁past ▁ret irement ▁at ▁ 7 8 ▁years ▁old , ▁wanted ▁to ▁give ▁up ▁his ▁position ▁but ▁was ▁convinced ▁to ▁stay ▁by ▁his ▁staff , ▁who ▁fe ared ▁that ▁a ▁Naz i ▁administrator ▁might ▁replace ▁him . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁he ▁focused ▁on ▁oper as ▁from ▁the ▁classical ▁French ▁re per toire ▁( Ber li oz , ▁Mass en et , ▁G oun od ▁and ▁the ▁like ) ▁but ▁had ▁to ▁pla c ate ▁German ▁authorities ; ▁offering ▁appearances ▁by ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Phil harm onic ▁and ▁present ations ▁of ▁Wagner ian ▁oper as . ▁He ▁also ▁fought ▁a ▁constant ▁battle ▁to