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Palais Garnier

Coordinates: 48°52′19″N 2°19′54″E / 48.87194°N 2.33167°E / 48.87194; 2.33167
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Palais Garnier
Map
Former namesAcadémie Nationale de Musique - Théâtre de l'Opéra (1875-1978),
Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris (1978-1989)
Alternative namesOpéra de Paris,
L'Opéra Garnier,
Paris Opéra
General information
TypeOpera house
Architectural styleBeaux-Arts
LocationPlace de l'Opéra, Paris, France, Europe
Coordinates48°52′19″N 2°19′54″E / 48.87194°N 2.33167°E / 48.87194; 2.33167
Construction started1862
Inaugurated1875
Height73.6 metres (241 ft)[1]
Dimensions
Other dimensions172 metres (564 ft) long
125 metres (410 ft) wide[1]
Design and construction
Architect(s)Charles Garnier

The Palais Garnier, pronounced [palɛ gaʁnje], known also as the Opéra de Paris or Opéra Garnier, but more commonly as the Paris Opéra, is a 1,600-seat opera house on the Place de l'Opéra in Paris, France, which was the primary home of the Paris Opera from 1875 until 1989. A grand building designed by Charles Garnier in the Neo-Baroque (or "Baroque Revival") style (it is also said to be of the related Second Empire style), it is regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time.

Comparable to the scale of Milan, the Wiener Staatsoper, Dresden's Semper Opera and the theater Colon in Buenos Aires, is an unambiguous indicator of dedication and unmissable for those who love music.

The building is located in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris and is served by the metro station Opéra and bus 21, 22, 27, 29, 42, 53, 66, 68, 81, 95.

Upon its inauguration during 1875, the opera house was named officially the Académie Nationale de Musique - Théâtre de l'Opéra. It retained this title until 1978 when it was re-named the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris. After the opera company chose the Opéra Bastille as their principal theatre upon its completion during 1989, the theatre was re-named as the Palais Garnier, though Académie Nationale de Musique is still sprawled above the columns of its front façade. In spite of the change of names and the Opera company's relocation to the Opéra Bastille, the Palais Garnier is still known by many people as the Paris Opéra, as have all of the several theatres which have served as the principal venues of the Parisian Opera and Ballet since its initiation.

History

The Palais Garnier was designed as part of the great reconstruction of Paris during the Second Empire initiated by Emperor Napoleon III, who chose Baron Haussmann to supervise the reconstruction. During 1858 the Emperor authorized Haussmann to clear the required 12,000 square metres (1.2 ha) of land on which to build a second theatre for the world-renowned Parisian Opera and Ballet companies. The project was the subject of architectural design competition during 1861, and was won by the architect Charles Garnier (1825–1898). The foundation stone was laid during 1861, with the start of construction during 1862. Legend is that the Emperor's wife, the Empress Eugénie, asked Garnier during the construction whether the building would be built in the Greek or Roman style, to which he replied: "It is in the Napoleon III style, Madame!"[citation needed]

Setbacks

The construction of the opera house was plagued by numerous setbacks. One major problem which postponed the laying of the concrete foundation was the swampy ground under which flowed a subterranean lake, requiring the water to be removed by eight months of continual pumping. More setbacks came as a result of the disastrous Franco-Prussian War, the subsequent end of the Second French Empire, and the Paris Commune. During this time construction continued sporadically, and it was even rumoured that construction of the opera house might be abandoned.[citation needed]

Fire

On 29 October 1873, an incentive to complete the Palais Garnier came when the previous theatre of the Paris Opéra, known as the Salle Le Peletier, was destroyed by a fire which raged for 27 hours. The Salle Le Peletier had been the chief venue of the Paris Opera and Ballet since 1821. The Salle Le Peletier is also famous for housing the heyday of the romantic ballet (along with Her Majesty's Theatre in London).[citation needed]

Completion

During late 1874 Garnier and his massive workforce completed the Palais Garnier. The Palais Garnier was inaugurated formally on January 15, 1875 with a lavish gala performance. The ball consisted of the third act of Fromental Halévy's 1835 opera La Juive, along with excerpts from Giacomo Meyerbeer's 1836 opera Les Huguenots. The ballet company performed a Grand Divertissement staged by the Paris Opéra's Maître de Ballet en Chef Louis Méranté, which consisted of the celebrated scene Le Jardin Animé from Joseph Mazilier's 1867 revival of his ballet Le Corsaire, set to the music of Léo Delibes.[citation needed]

The Opéra Garnier, a mixture of Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque architecture.
The Grand Staircase

Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera

During 1896, the falling of one of the counterweights for the grand chandelier resulted in the death of one person. This incident, as well as the underground lake, cellars, along with the other elements of the Opera House, even the building itself, were the inspirations of Gaston Leroux for his classic 1910 gothic novel The Phantom of the Opera.[citation needed]

Recent history

During 1969, the theatre was given new electrical facilities, and during 1978 part of the original Foyer de la Danse was converted into new rehearsal space for the Ballet company by the architect Jean-Loup Roubert.[citation needed]

During 1994, restoration work began on the theatre, which consisted of modernizing the stage machinery and electrical facilities, while restoring and preserving the opulent décor, as well as strengthening the frame and foundation of the building. This restoration was completed during 2007.[citation needed]

L'Opéra Restaurant

In 2011, after three attempts since 1875, a restaurant opens its doors on the eastern facade of the building. The restaurant room, designed by French architect Odile Decq, is located behind the pillars and answer to very high stresses protection related to the historical monument character. Menu is signed by Chef Christophe Aribert. The restaurant is open everyday from 7am till midnight[2].

Architecture and style

The Grand Foyer

Although slightly smaller in scale than its predecessor, the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique, the Palais Garnier is a building of exceptional opulence. It seats an audience of about 2,200 under a central chandelier which weighs more than six tons, and has a huge stage with room to accommodate as many as 450 artists. The style is monumental and considered typically Beaux-Arts, with use of axial symmetry in plan, and its exterior ornamentation.

The Palais is decorated opulently with elaborate multicolored marble friezes, columns, and lavish statuary, many of which portray deities of Greek mythology. Between the columns of the theatre's front façade, there are bronze busts of many of the great composers, Mozart, Rossini, Daniel Auber, Beethoven, Meyerbeer, Fromental Halévy, Spontini, and Philippe Quinault.

The central roof group, Apollo, Poetry, and Music, was the work of Aimé Millet. The two gilded figural groups Harmony and Poetry were both designed by Charles Gumery, and the two smaller bronze Pegasus figures at either end of the gable are from Eugène-Louis Lequesne. The facade incorporates major multifigure groups sculpted by François Jouffroy (Harmony), Jean-Baptiste Claude Eugène Guillaume (Instrumental Music), Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (The Dance, criticized for indecency), Jean-Joseph Perraud (Lyrical Drama), and other work by Gumery, Alexandre Falguière and others.

The interior consists of interweaving corridors, stairwells, alcoves and landings allowing the movement of large numbers of people and space for socializing during intermission. Rich with velvet, gold leaf, and cherubim and nymphs, the interior is characteristic of Baroque sumptuousness.

The ceiling area, which surrounds the chandelier, was given a new painting during 1964 by Marc Chagall. This painting was controversial, with many people feeling Chagall's work clashed with the style of the rest of the theater.

Influence abroad

The building became one of the most inspirational architectural prototypes for the next thirty years.

Several buildings in Poland were based on the design of the Palais Garnier, and include the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Kraków, built during 1893, The Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Lviv, built between 1897 and 1900 and also the Warsaw Philharmony edifice in Warsaw, built between 1900 and 1901.

In Ukrainia, the influence of the Palais Garnier can be seen at the National Opera House of Ukraine edifice in Kiev, built during 1901.

The Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. is modelled after Palais Garnier, most notably the facade and Great Hall.[citation needed]

The Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro (1909) was also modeled after Palais Garnier, particularly and Great Hall and stairs.

The Amazon Theatre in Manaus (Brazil) built from 1884 to 1896. The overview is very similar, though the decoration is more simple.

The Hanoi Opera House in Vietnam is considered to be a typical French colonial architectural monument in Vietnam and is also a small-scale replica of the Palais Garnier. The Saigon Opera House is a smaller counterpart.

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b A View On Cities (2009). Opéra de Paris Garnier. Retrieved on 2009-08-09 from http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/operagarnier.htm.
  2. ^ http://www.opera-restaurant.fr/presse/Communique_Annonce_Chef_EN.pdf Paris Opera Restaurant Press Release
Sources
  • Allison, John (ed.), Great Opera Houses of the World, supplement to Opera Magazine, London 2003
  • Beauvert, Thierry, Opera Houses of the World, New York: The Vendome Press, 1995. ISBN 9780865659773.
  • Guest, Ivor Forbes, Ballet of the Second Empire, London: Wesleyan University Press, 1974
  • Guest, Ivor Forbes, The Paris Opera Ballet, London: Wesleyan University Press, 2006
  • Kleiner, Fred S., Gardner's Art Through The Ages, Belmont: Thomsom Wadsworth, 2006 ISBN 0-534-63640-3.
  • Zeitz, Karyl Lynn, Opera: the Guide to Western Europe's Great Houses, Santa Fe, New Mexico: John Muir Publications, 1991. ISBN 0-945465-81-5.
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