Royal Opera of Versailles

The Royal Opera of Versailles (

The house is located at the northern extremity of the north wing of the palace. General public access to the theater is gained through the two-story vestibule. Some parts of the Opéra, such as the King's Loge and the King's Boudoir represent some of the earliest expressions of what would become known as Louis XVI style.^[4]

Lully’s Persée — written in 1682, the year Louis XIV moved into the palace — inaugurated the Opéra on 16 May 1770 in celebration of the marriage of the dauphin — the future Louis XVI — to Marie Antoinette.^[5]

The Opéra Royal can serve either as a theater for opera, stage plays, or orchestral events, when it can accommodate an audience of 712, or as a ballroom, when the floor of the orchestra level of the auditorium can be raised to the level of the stage. On these occasions, the Opéra can accommodate 1,200.

The French Enlightenment

During the

Long before the Opera Royal was dreamed of, theatre was becoming an important part of French society. Beginning with the reign of Louis XIII, the frequency and regularity of theatrical performances had increased: the show was considered as much an entertainment as it was an expression of power^[10] The idea of it being an expression of power can be traced to one of Louis XIII's regents, Cardinal Richelieu. Richelieu wanted to create an image of the king (and France) that displayed well roundedness in all thing, a society who dabbled not only in politics or court, but music and art and theatre. He envisioned a force to lead the way, culturally. Attending a theatrical performance was quickly becoming a sign of stature, and though few permanent theatre spaces were created at this time, theatre found itself performed anyway. It is pertinent to note that until the final installation of the Versailles court, performances of operas and ballets, comedies and tragedies, were performed mainly in the gardens^[11]

Soon, however, spaces that were frequently used for performances would become specific performance spaces. In time the royal residences equipped themselves little by little with fixed theatres, although they often continued to use temporary structures and installations one could disassemble in various places: galleries, staircases, lounges, gardens^[11] These staged productions were important for many reasons. Little divertissements for the court, they also were at times used by royalty for their own reasons. Louis XIV's performance during the Ballet de la nuit, for example, was a statement of his power, his coming of age, and the fact that he was ready to take the throne with no regents. Indeed, his performance as Apollo is what earned him the name Sun King. Stage productions such as operas and ballets were important during the reigns of the Bourbon monarchs in France. Louis XIV in particular employed these and similar art forms extensively not only to entertain the noblemen in his court but also to promote his own self-image and the gloire of his country. Although he desired an Opera for his beloved Versailles, during the second half of Louis' reign, most operas, ballets and other staged divertissements for court and the public appeared indoors, in theatres or in other sites arranged as required for individual productions.^[12]

Temporary theatres 1664 to 1674

During the early years of his reign of Louis XIV, theatres were often temporary structures, built for a particular event and destroyed after their use. The first such theater was constructed for the fête of the Plaisirs de l’Île enchantée, which was held in 1664. In the area west of what is now the Bassin d’Apollon, a temporary theater was constructed in which Molière's Princesse d’Élide débuted on 8 May. During this fête an additional theatre was erected inside the chateau for the presentation of three other plays by Molière: Les Fâcheux, Le Mariage Forcé, and Tartuffe, which premiered in an incomplete, albeit contentious, form. None of these theatres survived this fête.^[13]

The Grand Divertissement royal of 1668, which celebrated the end of the

The third fête or, more accurately, a series of six fêtes - Les Divertissments de Versailles - were held in July and August 1674 to celebrate the second conquest of Franche-Comté. The fête featured a number of theatrical productions that were staged throughout the grounds in temporary theaters. On 4 July, Lully's Alceste was performed for the court in the Cour de Marbre; on 11 July, Quinault's L'Églogue de Versailles was staged near the Trianon de Porcelaine; eight days later, the Grotte de Thétys served as the setting for Molière's le Malade Imaginaire; and Racine's Iphigénie debuted on 18 August in a theater constructed in the Orangerie.^[15]

Creation of permanent theatres

La salle de la Comédie, 1681 to 1769

In spite of the need for a permanent theater at Versailles, it would not be until 1681 that a permanent structure would be built. In that year, the Comptes des Bâtiments du Roi record payments for a theater that was constructed on the ground floor of the chateau between the corps de logis and the Aile de Midi. The interior of the theater – known as the salle de la Comédie – contained a semicircle of row seating with loges set into the bays of the lateral walls. On the south wall of the theater, abutting the wall of the Escalier des Princes, was the royal tribune, which contained a central room octagonal loge and two smaller loges on either side.^[16][17] The salle de la Comédie would function as a de facto permanent theater at Versailles until 1769, when it was destroyed in order to provide direct access to the gardens from the Cour Royale.^[18]

Small theatre, 1688 to 1703

In 1688, Louis XIV ordered a small theater to be constructed in the north wing of the Grand Trianon. This structure was destroyed in 1703 to accommodate a new apartment for the king.

Because the salle de la Comédie was designed for stage plays, Versailles lacked a theatre in which more elaborate productions could be staged. For larger productions, the Grand Manège (the covered riding arena) in the Grand Écurie was converted for more elaborate entertainments, but the space had limitations. In 1685, Louis XIV approved plans for the construction of a larger permanent theater that could the more elaborate productions, such as pièces à machines.^[19]

The pièces à machines were theatrical presentations using ballet, opera, and special staging effects that required a theatre that could accommodate the complicated machinery used in the production of these plays. The

With the return of the court to Versailles in 1722, spaces used by Louis XIV were once again pressed into service for the needs of the court. In 1729, as part of the festivities in celebration of the birth of the dauphin, a temporary theatre was constructed in the Cour de Marbre. The salle de la Comédie and the Manège of the Grand Écurie continued to be used as they had during the reign of Louis XIV.

However, owing to

Construction work on the Opéra began in earnest in 1765 and was completed in 1770. Gabriel reverted to an old design by J.H. Mansart and Gaspare Vigarani: the Salle des Ballets, at the far north end of the château, which had been abandoned at the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession. The terminal pavilion of the north wing, intended for this, had been carried up to its full height only on the garden side; on the street side it had advanced no further than the foundations.[23] At the time, it represented the finest example in theatre design, having 712 seats, and it was the largest theatre in Europe. Today, it remains one of the few 18th century theaters to have survived to the present day.

Gabriel's design for the Opéra was exceptional for its time since it featured an oval plan. As an economy measure, the floor of the orchestra level can be raised to the level the stage, thus doubling the floor space. The transition from the auditorium to the stage is managed by the introduction of a giant order of engaged Corinthian columns, with a cornice ranging with the whole Ionic entablature. The proscenium is formed by two pairs of columns, coupled in depth, with their entablature. On either side two more pairs, more widely spaced, enclosed with three tiers of boxes.^[24] Breaking with traditional Italian-style theatres which stacked tiered boxes like chicken coops, two balconies ring the house, topped by an ample colonnade that seems to extend into infinity thanks to a play of mirrors.^[25] It was planned that the Opéra should serve not only as a theatre, but as ballroom or banqueting hall as well.^[26] The theatre burned ten thousand candles in a single setting, therefore making it very expensive to rent the space out.^{[citation needed]}

It opened May 16, 1770, with Lully's Persée.^[27]

On 1 October 1789, the gardes du corps du roi held a banquet to welcome the

In spite of the excellent acoustics and the opulent setting, the Opéra was not often used during the reign of Louis XVI, largely on grounds of cost. However, for those occasions when the Opéra was used, they became events of the day. Some of the more memorable uses of the Opéra during the reign of Louis XVI included:

5 May 1777: Revival of

Marie-Antoinette’s

brother.

23 May 1782: Revival of la Reine de Golconde by Michel-Jean Sedaine;

29 May 1782: Revival of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s opera, Iphigénie en Aulide and the revival of Maximilien Gardel’s ballet Ninette à la Cour;

8 June 1782: Dress ball held in honor of the visit of the comte and comtess du Nord, the Grand Duke Paul and Grand Duchess of Marie Feodorovna of Russia who were traveling incognito.^[30][31]

14 June 1784: Revival of

Gustav III of Sweden.^[32]

Originally used only for royal ceremonies and extraordinary performances,[33] this pinnacle of the Gabriel family's work began to be used less and less because of the immense cost to stage productions there. During the period of its usage, however, it was a beautiful example of royal lavishness and love for theatrical performances, and the fact that attending opera was once again the fashionable thing to do for the upper class, thanks in part to Queen Marie Antoinette's patronage, should not be underestimated.^[34]

When the royal family left Versailles in October 1789, the château and the Opéra were closed. While the château did see some activity under

1952–1957 witnessed major restoration of the Opéra – generally considered one of the finest restoration projects undertaken at Versailles – when it was restored under the direction of

The Opéra was most recently closed in June of 2007 for an extensive two year renovation to bring the backstage and production areas up to safety standards. During this latest renovation, led by chief architect of Historical Monuments

.

Today, with its superb acoustics and magnificent décor, the Opéra represents one of the finest 18th century opera houses in Europe. The importance of the Opéra Royal is directly linked to the history of the many theatres at Versailles and the history of theatrical stagings in 17th and 18th century France.

Gallery of images

Temporary theaters during the reign of Louis XIV

Les Plaisirs de l'Ile Enchantée, temporary theater built for the production of Molière's la Princess d’Élide (8 May 1664). Silvestre Israël Silvestre , 1621–1691.	Grand Divertissement royal, temporary theater built for the production of Molière's Georges Dandin (15 July 1668) Jean Le Pautre, 1618–1682.	Les Divertissments de Versailles, the Cour de Marbre serving as a theater for the production of Quinault's and Lully's Alceste (4 July 1674).	Les Divertissments de Versailles, temporary theater built before the Grotte de Thétys for the revival of Molière's le Malade imaginaire. (18 July 1674). Jean Le Pautre, 1618–1682.

Temporary theaters during the reign of Louis XV

“Presentation of the comédie-ballet Charles Nicolas Cochin (le Jeune), 1715–1790.	"Acis et Galatée, presented on the stage of the theater constructed in the escalier des Ambassadeurs at Versailles (23 January – 10 February 1749.” Adolphe Lalauze, 1838-1906 (ca. 1890 after a design by Cochin).	“Fancy dress ball given by the king in the manège of the Grande Écurie of Versailles on the occasion of the marriage of the Dauphin to the Infanta Maria-Thérèse-Raphaëlle of Spain (24 February 1745).” Charles Nicolas Cochin (le Jeune), 1715–1790.

The Opéra royal during the 18th and 19th centuries

“Inauguration of the Opéra, 16 May 1770.” Jean-Michel Moreau (1741-1814).	Ceiling of the Opéra royal de Versailles. “Apollo preparing the crowns for illustrious Men of the Arts” ca. 1770. Louis Jean-Jacques Durameau (1733-1796).	Auditorium of the Opéra de Versailles during the celebrations of the wedding of the dauphin and Marie Antoinette in 1770. Jean-Michel Moreau (1741–1814).
“Banquet of the gardes du corps given in the Opéra de Versailles, 1 October 1789.” Jean-Louis Prieur (1759-1795).	Banquet offered by Napoléon III to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the Opéra de Versailles, 25 August 1855. Eugène Lami (1800-1890)	The Opéra de Versailles converted for the use of the Sénat of the Third Republic, ca. 1876.

References

Notes

Sources

• Ayers, Andrew (2004). The Architecture of Paris. Stuttgart; London: Edition Axel Menges.
  ISBN 9783930698967
  .
• Benoist, Luc, Histoire De Versailles, Paris: Presses Universitaires De France, 1973
• Boyd, Malcolm, Music and the French Revolution, Cambridge England: Cambridge UP, 1992
• Coeyman, Barbara, "Sites of Indoor Musical-Theatrical Productions at Versailles", Eighteenth Century Life, vol. 17, n.s., 2, May 1993
• Coeyman, Barbara, "Theaters for Opera and Ballet during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV", Early Music, Vol. 18, #1, February 1990
• Félibien, Jean-François, Description sommaire de Versailles ancienne et nouvelle, Paris: A. Chrétien, 1703
• Givhan, Robin (2015). The Battle of Versailles: The Night American Fashion Stumbled Into the Spotlight and Made History. New York: Flatiron Books.
  ISBN 9781250052902
  .
• Gousset, Jean-Paul, and Raphaël Masson, Versailles: L'opéra Royal, Paris: Artlys, 2010
• Langlois, Rose-Marie, L’Opéra de Versailles, Paris: ??, 1958
• Marie, Alfred and Jeanne, Versailles au temps de Louis XV, Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1984
• Nolhac, Pierre de, Histoire de Versailles, Vol. 3, Paris: André Marty, 1911-1918
• Pérouse de Montclos, Jean-Marie (1991). Versailles, translated from the French by John Goodman. New York: Abbeville Press Publishers.
  ISBN 9781558592285
  .
• Piganiol de la Force and Jean-Aymar, Nouvelle description des châteaux et parcs de Versailles et Marly, Paris: Chez Florentin de la lune, 1701
• Verlet, Pierre, Le château de Versailles, Paris: Librairie Arthème Fayard, 1985
• Ward, William Henry ([1926]). The Architecture of the Renaissance in France (2 volumes). New York: C. Scribner & Sons.
  OCLC 888908800
  (1976 reprint).

• Royal Opera official web site

48°48′21.5″N 2°7′22″E / 48.805972°N 2.12278°E / 48.805972; 2.12278