The Grand Théâtre, Lebanon also known as the Grand Théâtre des Mille et Une Nuits was a

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

located in

downtown Beirut The Beirut Central District (BCD) or ''Centre Ville'' is the historical and geographical core of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Also called downtown Beirut, it has been described the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hu ...

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

. The structure is currently unused.

Overview

It was designed by

Youssef Aftimos Youssef Aftimus (; 25 November 1866 – 10 September 1952) was a Lebanese civil engineer and architect who specialized in Moorish Revival architecture. Aftimus was the leading Lebanese architect and urban planner during the first half of the twe ...

and built in the 1920s by Jaques Tabet (a poet and theater lover). The building opened in 1929. The Grand Théâtre hosted throughout the years international performances and movie productions.

History

It was part of a commercial center that housed a hotel, rental apartments, offices and shops. The construction of the Grand Théâtre on the corner of Emir Bashir and Syria streets blocked the original 1878 design of a major thoroughfare connecting the harbor to the Pine Forest at the city's southern limit. The horseshoe-shaped auditorium of the theatre accommodated 630 seats with an orchestra, two balconies, and machinery for stage sets. A small electrically-operated steel dome slid on rails, allowing the roof to open for ventilation. A domed ceiling with decorated stained glass covered the lobby. The Grand Théâtre opened in 1929 with a French musical called ''

No, No, Nanette ''No, No, Nanette'' is a musical comedy with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach, music by Vincent Youmans, and a book by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel, based on Mandel's 1919 Broadway play ''My Lady Friends''. The farcical story involves th ...

'', adapted from a Broadway success. The theatre later hosted the Comédie Française, the Ballet des Champs-Elysées, the Egyptian Ramses Group, and concerts by Abdel Wahab and

Um Kalthoum Umm Kulthum ( ar, أم كلثوم, , also spelled ''Oum Kalthoum'' in English; born Fatima Ibrahim es-Sayyid el-Beltagi, ar, فاطمة إبراهيم السيد البلتاجي, Fāṭima ʾIbrāhīm es-Sayyid el-Beltāǧī, link=no; 31 Dece ...

. The Grand Théâtre also screened international movie productions and catered for major literary and charity events. From the 1960s onwards, it operated solely as a movie theater. During the

Lebanese civil war The Lebanese Civil War ( ar, الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية, translit=Al-Ḥarb al-Ahliyyah al-Libnāniyyah) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities a ...

the building was used for various purposes (pornographic movies projection, field hospital). It was damaged and was progressively abandoned due to the heavy fighting in the area. After the war the Grand Théâtre fell under the control of

Solidere Solidere s.a.l. is a Lebanese joint-stock company in charge of planning and redeveloping Beirut Central District following the conclusion, in 1990, of the Lebanese Civil War. By agreement with the government, Solidere has special powers of emin ...

. The facade was restored and the building partially repaired. Solidere had plans to convert the building into a boutique hotel,https://solidere.com/sites/default/files/attached/ar2009.pdf but as of today the Grand Théâtre remains unused.

Timeline

* 1920s: the Grand Théâtre is designed by

Youssef Aftimus Youssef Aftimus (; 25 November 1866 – 10 September 1952) was a Lebanese civil engineer and architect who specialized in Moorish Revival architecture. Aftimus was the leading Lebanese architect and urban planner during the first half of the tw ...

and built by Jacques Tabet * 1929: opening * 1960s: the Grand Théâtre is repurposed as a movie theater * 1975-1990: damaged by the civil war * 1994: ownership transferred to

solidere Solidere s.a.l. is a Lebanese joint-stock company in charge of planning and redeveloping Beirut Central District following the conclusion, in 1990, of the Lebanese Civil War. By agreement with the government, Solidere has special powers of emin ...

. Restoration of the facade and partial repairs. * 2019: large numbers of Lebanese found an opportunity to rediscover the Grand Théâtre during the mass protests Le_Grand_Theatre_des_Mille_et_Une_Nuits,_Beyrouth,_Liban

Le_Grand_Theatre_des_Mille_et_Une_Nuits,_Beyrouth,_Liban

References

{{Reflist *Sassine, Farès et Tuéni, Ghassan (direction) (2003) El-Bourj. Place de la Liberté et Porte du Levant, Editions Dar An-Nahar, Beyrouth. *http://blogbaladi.com/a-look-inside-le-grand-theatre-de-beirut/ *Georges Arbid Collection, Arab Center for Architecture, Beirut.

External links

Grand Theatre: a Tale of Beirut (video documentary by Omar Naim)

Le Grand Théâtre de Beyrouth in 15 Breathtaking Pictures
Buildings and structures in Beirut Culture in Beirut Tourist attractions in Beirut

Overview

History

Timeline

See also

References

External links