Renovating an institution: The Opéra Comique
0 Comments Published by Cedric Benetti on Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 10/18/2007 03:32:00 PM.
The Théâtre national de l'Opéra Comique (aka Salle Favart) is the lesser known opera house in Paris, located in the 2e arrondissement near the Paris Stock Exchange and not far from Opera Garnier.It*s main facade is currently being revealed off its scaffoldings, after some months of facade restoration works.
The Opéra Comique company was established in 1714 to offer French opera as an alternative to Italian opera that then dominated Europe. Productions at the Opéra Comique distinguished from those at the Académie Royale de Musique by their less formal requirements. French opéra comique, in the 19th century at least, did not have to be comic; the term covered a much wider category of work.
Favart became a subsidiary of Opéra Garnier in 1939. Various formulas were tried: the opening of a Studio Opera in 1972 stimulated the emergence of a young generation of French performers.In January 2005, the State modified the legal status of Opéra Comique, classifying it as a ‘Théâtre national’. Now the institution is ready to assume its identity again.
Bizet*s Carmen had its first performance in this fabulous building.
The current building by Bernier dates from 1898, although the opera house is in itself the oldest one in Paris. Two previous buildings burnt down in 1838 and 1887.
The second Opera House in 1840Labels: Architecture Instant Love, Theater
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