The Éden-Théâtre was a large theatre (4,000 seats) in the rue Boudreau, Paris, built at the beginning of the 1880s by the architects William Klein and Albert Duclos (1842–1896) in a style influenced by

orientalism In art history, literature and cultural studies, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects in the Eastern world. These depictions are usually done by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world. In particular, Orientalist p ...

. It was demolished in 1895.

History

Éden-Théâtre

Inspired by

Moghol The Moghols (also Mogul, Mongul) are Mongolic peoples, Mongolic people as descendants of the Mongol Empire's soldiers in Afghanistan. They live in the Kundur and Karez-i-Mulla villages of Herat Province, Herat province and used to speak the Mogh ...

architecture, it was inaugurated on 7 January 1883 with the ballet ''Excelsior!'' with music by

Romualdo Marenco Romualdo Marenco (March 1, 1841 – October 9, 1907) was an Italian composer primarily noted for ballet music. Marenco started his musical career as a violinist in the Doria Theater in Genoa. His first composition was the ballet ''Garibaldi ...

, and this was followed in subsequent years by other spectacular ballets. The theatre witnessed the single performance of the first Paris production of Wagner's ''

Lohengrin Lohengrin () is a character in Germany, German Arthurian literature. The son of Percival, Parzival (Percival), he is a knight of the Holy Grail sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue a maiden who can never ask his identity. His story, which fi ...

'', on 3 May 1887 (in French) with

Ernest van Dyck Ernest Van Dyck (2 April 1861 – 31 August 1923) was a Belgian dramatic tenor who was closely identified with the Wagnerian repertoire. Forbes, Elizabeth. Ernest arie HubertVan Dyck. In: ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.'' Macmillan, London ...

and Fidès Devriès, conducted by

Charles Lamoureux Charles Lamoureux (; 28 September 1834 – 21 December 1899) was a French conductor and violinist. Life He was born in Bordeaux, where his father owned a café. He studied the violin with Narcisse Girard at the Paris Conservatoire, taking a ...

, which aroused enormous opposition among the Parisian public. This was followed in 1888 by ''

La fille de Madame Angot ''La fille de Madame Angot'' (''Madame Angot's Daughter'') is an opéra comique in three acts by Charles Lecocq with words by Clairville, Paul Siraudin and Victor Koning. It was premiered in Brussels in December 1872 and soon became a success in ...

'' with

Anna Judic Anne Marie-Louise Damiens, stage name Anna Judic (18 July 1849, Semur-en-Auxois – 15 April 1911, Golfe-Juan) was a French comic actress. Life Niece of Montigny (the director of the Gymnase), in 1866 she entered the Conservatoire de Paris in ...

and

Jeanne Granier Jeanne Granier (31 March 1852 – 18 or 19 December 1939) was a French soprano, born and died in Paris, whose career was centred on the French capital.Gänzl K. Jeanne Granier. In: ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.'' Macmillan, London and ...

and ''

Le petit duc ''Le petit duc'' (''The little duke'') is an opéra comique in three acts by Charles Lecocq. The French language, French libretto was by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. Performance history The opera was first presented at the Théâtre de la R ...

'' with

José Dupuis Joseph-Lambert Dupuis (known as José Dupuis) (18 March 1833, Liège – 9 May 1900, Nogent-sur-Marne) was a Belgian singer and actor. He was principally active in opéra-bouffe in Paris, in particular at the Théâtre des Variétés. Career ...

and Granier. The four-act version of ''

Orphée aux enfers ''Orpheus in the Underworld'' and ''Orpheus in Hell'' are English names for (), a comic opera with music by Jacques Offenbach and words by Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy. It was first performed as a two-act "opéra bouffon" at the Théât ...

'' with

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

and Granier, a revival of ''Excelsior!'', and the Paris premiere of

Charles Lecocq Alexandre Charles Lecocq (3 June 183224 October 1918) was a French composer, known for his opérettes and opéra comique, opéras comiques. He became the most prominent successor to Jacques Offenbach in this sphere, and enjoyed considerable succ ...

's ''

Ali-Baba ''Ali-Baba'' is an opéra comique in three acts, first produced in 1887, with music by Charles Lecocq. The French libretto based on the familiar tale from the Arabian Nights was by Albert Vanloo and William Busnach. After some initial success the ...

'' were presented in 1889.

Théâtre Lyrique

After a ballet and a grand revue, the theatre was renamed Théâtre Lyrique in October 1890, and the first Paris performance of ''

Samson et Dalila ''Samson and Delilah'' (french: Samson et Dalila, links=no), Op. 47, is a grand opera in three acts and four scenes by Camille Saint-Saëns to a French libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire. It was first performed in Weimar at the (Grand Ducal) Theater (n ...

'' with Talazac and

Bloch Bloch is a surname of German origin. Notable people with this surname include: A–F * (1859-1914), French rabbi *Adele Bloch-Bauer (1881-1925), Austrian entrepreneur *Albert Bloch (1882–1961), American painter * (born 1972), German motor journal ...

and ''

La jolie fille de Perth ''La jolie fille de Perth'' (''The Fair Maid of Perth'') is an opera in four acts by Georges Bizet (1838–1875), from a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jules Adenis, after the 1828 novel ''The Fair Maid of Perth'' by Sir Walt ...

'' with

Émile Engel Émile Engel (5 April 1889 – 14 September 1914) was a French professional road bicycle racer. In the 1914 Tour de France he won stage 3, and was disqualified after stage 8 when he was involved in a fight with a race official.Christopher S. Thom ...

and

Cécile Mézeray Cécile Mézéray was a French soprano active in France and Belgium in the mid nineteenth century. Born around 1859, she was one of the daughters of the musician Charles Mézeray (né Costard, born in Brunswick in 1810 and sometime conductor of t ...

were presented, but the theatre closed before the end of the year due to lack of funds.

Grand Théâtre

Éden-Théâtre auditorium - Andia 1998 p142

On 12 November 1892 the theatre became the Grand Théâtre, opening with

Daudet Daudet is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include: People with the surname * Alphonse Daudet (1840–1897), French novelist * Célimène Daudet (born 1977), French classical pianist * Ernest Daudet (1837–1921), French jou ...

's play '' Sapho'' (with incidental music by

Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositi ...

, Delibes and

Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are ''Manon'' (1884) and ''Werther'' ...

), followed by a production of ''

Le Malade imaginaire ''The Imaginary Invalid'', ''The Hypochondriac'', or ''The Would-Be Invalid'' ( French title ''Le Malade imaginaire'', ) is a three- act ''comédie-ballet'' by the French playwright Molière with dance sequences and musical interludes (H.495, H. ...

'' with

Charpentier Charpentier () is the French language, French word for "carpenter", and it is also a French surname; a variant spelling is Carpentier. In English, the equivalent word and name is "Carpenter (surname), Carpenter"; in German, "Zimmermann (disambigua ...

's music arranged by Saint-Saëns. The year 1893 saw a production of '' L'Arlésienne'' (music director Gabriel Marie), ''Pêcheur d'Islande'' by Loti with Guitry and music by

Ropartz Joseph Guy Marie Ropartz (; 15 June 1864 – 22 November 1955) was a French composer and conductor. His compositions included five symphonies, three violin sonatas, cello sonatas, six string quartets, a piano trio and string trio (both in A minor) ...

, and in November that year the Société des Grand Concerts of Colonne gave ''

Marie-Magdeleine ''Marie-Magdeleine'' is an oratorio (Drame Sacré) in three acts and four parts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Louis Gallet. It was first performed at the Théâtre de l' Odéon in Paris on 11 April 1873, starring the famous contralto P ...

'' (with

Gabrielle Krauss Marie-Gabrielle Krauss (24 March 18426 January 1906) was an important 19th century Austrian-born French operatic soprano. She created major roles in operas by Anton Rubinstein, Charles Gounod, Camille Saint-Saëns, Auguste Mermet, Clémence de G ...

) and ''

La damnation de Faust ''La damnation de Faust'' (English: ''The Damnation of Faust''), Op. 24 is a work for four solo voices, full seven-part chorus, large children's chorus and orchestra by the French composer Hector Berlioz. He called it a "''légende dramatique'' ...

'' (with Engel).Noel & Stoullig, vol. 19 (année 1893)
pp. 335–342

Comédie-Parisienne

In 1893 a foyer of the Grand Théâtre was converted into a much smaller theatre called the Comédie-Parisienne (later renamed

Théâtre de l'Athénée The Théâtre de l'Athénée is a theatre at 7 rue Boudreau, in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Renovated in 1996 and classified a historical monument, the Athénée inherits an artistic tradition marked by the figure of Louis Jouvet who dire ...

). The colossal theatre suffered continual financial difficulties, closed in 1894, and was demolished in May 1895.

References

Sources

* Fauquet, Joël-Marie, editor (2001). ''Dictionnaire de la musique en France au XIX^e siècle''. Paris:

Fayard Fayard (complete name: ''Librairie Arthème Fayard'') is a French Paris-based publishing house established in 1857. Fayard is controlled by Hachette Livre. In 1999, Éditions Pauvert became part of Fayard. Claude Durand was director of Fayard ...

. . * Langham-Smith, Richard (1992). "Paris: 1870–1902" in Sadie 1992, vol. 3, . * Noel, Édouard; Stoullig, Edmond (1875–1918). ''

Les Annales du Théâtre et de la Musique ''Les Annales du Théâtre et de la Musique'' ("The Annals of Theatre and Music") was an annual French periodical which covered French dramatic and lyric theatre for 42 years, from 1875 to 1916. The volumes also covered concert series and ne ...

'' (41 volumes). Paris
View
at

HathiTrust HathiTrust Digital Library is a large-scale collaborative repository of digital content from research libraries including content digitized via Google Books and the Internet Archive digitization initiatives, as well as content digitized locally ...

. *

Sadie, Stanley Stanley John Sadie (; 30 October 1930 – 21 March 2005) was an influential and prolific British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' (1980), which was publ ...

, editor (1992). ''

The New Grove Dictionary of Opera ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'' is an encyclopedia of opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volu ...

'' (4 volumes). London: Macmillan. . * Tydeman, William; Price, Steven (1991). ''Wilde: Salome'' Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. . * Wild, Nicole (2003) "Éden-Théâtre" in Fauquet 2003, p. 422. {{DEFAULTSORT:Eden-Theatre Former theatres in Paris Buildings and structures in the 9th arrondissement of Paris Theatres completed in 1883 1895 disestablishments in France Buildings and structures demolished in 1895 Demolished buildings and structures in Paris