The Grand Théâtre de Québec () is a

performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which involve the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. P ...

complex in

Quebec City Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

, Canada. It was conceived to commemorate the Canadian Centennial of 1967 and the

Quebec Conference, 1864 The Quebec Conference was held from October 10 to 24, 1864, to discuss a proposed Canadian confederation. It was in response to the shift in political ground when the United Kingdom and the United States had come very close to engaging in war w ...

, one of the key meetings leading to the Canadian

Confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

of 1867. Designed by Polish-Canadian architect Victor Prus, construction began in 1966 under Premier

Jean Lesage Jean Lesage (; June 10, 1912 – December 12, 1980) was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the 19th premier of Quebec from July 5, 1960, to June 16, 1966. Alongside Georges-Émile Lapalme, René Lévesque and others, he is often v ...

but was stopped by the Union Nationale government of Daniel Johnson. Construction resumed in late 1967 but the theatre was not officially opened until January 16, 1971. The theatre has two venues: *Salle Louis Fréchette, with 1,885 seats, is named after the 19th-century French-Canadian writer Louis-Honoré Fréchette. *Salle Octave Crémazie, with 510 seats, is named after the 19th-century Canadian poet, Octave Crémazie, who was known as "the father of French-Canadian poetry". Since October 1972, the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec has been located in the Grand Théâtre's complex. In 1991, the theatre complex housed 49 classrooms, 70 teaching and practice studios, and a multi-media centre with a recording studio and electroacoustic lab. The complex is also home to a library which in 1991 included more than 60,000 documents of books, scores, monographs, periodicals, and recordings in various media formats. The theatre was used for the 1985 Shamrock Summit when Canadian Prime Minister

Brian Mulroney Martin Brian Mulroney (March 20, 1939 – February 29, 2024) was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and politician who served as the 18th prime minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993. Born in the eastern Quebec city of Baie-Comeau, Mulroney studi ...

entertained U.S. President

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

. In 2020, the Grand Théâtre de Québec was restored and covered with a glass envelope supported by a steel frame, designed by Lemay and Atelier 21, to preserve the structure's architecture and a sculptural mural from artist Jordi Bonet embedded into the façade. Protected from temperature and humidity fluctuations, the approach was considered a first in North America at the time of its implementation. Organizations which use the theatre include the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, the Théâtre du Trident, and the Opéra de Québec. The Quebec City Summer Festival often hosts events in the theatre.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Grand Theatre de Quebec Performing arts centres in Canada Buildings and structures in Quebec City Culture of Quebec City Modernist architecture in Canada Theatres in Quebec Tourist attractions in Quebec City Recording studios in Canada Music venues in Quebec Theatres completed in 1971 Opera houses in Quebec 1971 establishments in Quebec