(; "City Theatre") is one of the two

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...

s built in the 19th century by

Baron Haussmann Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

at Place du Châtelet,

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, the other being the Théâtre du Châtelet. It is located at 2, place du Châtelet in the 4th arrondissement. Included among its many previous names are Théâtre Lyrique, Théâtre des Nations, and Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt.

Théâtre Lyrique

The theatre, which until the fall of

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...

in 1870 was officially known as the Théâtre Lyrique Impérial, was designed by the

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Gabriel Davioud for

between 1860 and 1862 for the opera company more commonly known simply as the

Théâtre Lyrique The Théâtre Lyrique () was one of four opera companies performing in Paris during the middle of the 19th century (the other three being the Paris Opera, Opéra, the Opéra-Comique, and the Théâtre-Italien (1801–1878), Théâtre-Italien). ...

. That company's earlier theatre, the Théâtre Historique on the

Boulevard du Temple The Boulevard du Temple (), formerly nicknamed the "Boulevard du Crime", is a thoroughfare in Paris that separates the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, 3rd arrondissement from the 11th arrondissement of Paris, 11th. It runs from the Place de la Répu ...

, where it had performed since 1851, was slated for demolition as part of

Haussmann's renovation of Paris Haussmann's renovation of Paris was a vast public works programme commissioned by French Emperor Napoleon III and directed by his prefect of the Seine, Georges-Eugène Haussmann, between 1853 and 1870. It included the demolition of medieval ...

. During the company's initial period on the Place du Châtelet, it was under the direction of

Léon Carvalho Léon Carvalho (18 January 1825 – 29 December 1897) was a French impresario and stage director. Biography Born Léon Carvaille in Port Louis, British Mauritius, he came to France at an early age. He studied at the Paris Conservatory an ...

and gave the premieres of Bizet's ''

Les pêcheurs de perles ' (, ''The Pearl Fishers'') is an opera in three acts by the French composer Georges Bizet, to a libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré. It was premiered on 30 September 1863 at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris, and was given 18 performan ...

'' (1863), Berlioz's '' Les Troyens à Carthage'' (1863), Gounod's '' Mireille'' (1864), Bizet's ''

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 W ...

'' (1867), and Gounod's '' Roméo et Juliette'' (1867). Carvalho also presented the first performance of Verdi's revised and expanded version of ''

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

'' (in French) in 1865.Walsh 1981, pp. 149–239, 316–321. Jules Pasdeloup took over as director in 1868 and gave the first Paris performances of Wagner's '' Rienzi'' in 1869. The Théâtre Lyrique on the Place du Châtelet was nearly completely destroyed by fire on 21 May 1871 during the recapturing of Paris by the forces of the

Adolphe Thiers Marie Joseph Louis Adolphe Thiers ( ; ; 15 April 17973 September 1877) was a French statesman and historian who served as President of France from 1871 to 1873. He was the second elected president and the first of the Third French Republic. Thi ...

at the end of

Paris Commune The Paris Commune (, ) was a French revolutionary government that seized power in Paris on 18 March 1871 and controlled parts of the city until 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard (France), Nation ...

, and the Théâtre Lyrique opera company went bankrupt not long after.

Théâtre Historique and Théâtre des Nations

The theatre was rebuilt in 1874 on the same plans and was at first called the Théâtre Lyrique-Dramatique, but was soon renamed to Théâtre Historique, which it retained until 1879, when it became Théâtre des Nations.Lecomte 1905
p. 38
(Théâtre Lyrique-Dramatique)
p. 32
(Théâtre Historique)
p. 43
(Théâtre des Nations).Based on the corresponding article in the French Wikipédia
version 12 juin 2012 à 11:13
. Victor Maurel produced a season of Italian opera at the Théâtre des Nations in 1884. It included on 1 February 1884 the first Paris performance of Massenet's '' Hérodiade'', in the Italian version entitled ''Erodiade''. The cast included Fidès Devriès as Salomé, Guglielmina Tremelli as Hérodiade, Jean de Reszke as Jean, Maurel as Hérode, Édouard de Reszke as Phanuel, and Giuseppe Villani as Vitellius. In the tenth and final performance of ''Erodiade'' on 13 March three De Reszkes could be heard, as Josephine de Reszke sang Salomé.

Opéra-Comique

In 1887 the

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...

moved into the theatre after its previous home, the second Salle Favart, had been destroyed by fire. The name Théâtre Lyrique was restored, and the Opéra-Comique continued to perform in the theatre until 1898, when it returned to the newly built, third Salle Favart. During the company's sojourn on the Place du Châtelet, it presented several operas by Massenet, including the premieres of ''

Esclarmonde ''Esclarmonde'' () is an opéra () in four acts and eight Tableau vivant, tableaux, with prologue and epilogue, by Jules Massenet, to a French libretto by Alfred Blau and Louis de Gramont, Louis Ferdinand de Gramont. It was first performed at th ...

'' (1889) and '' Sapho'' (1897), as well as the first Paris performances of ''

Werther ''Werther'' is an opera (''drame lyrique'') in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann (who used the pseudonym Henri Grémont). It is loosely based on Goethe's epistolary novel ''The S ...

'' (6 January 1893) and '' La Navarraise'' (3 October 1895).Simeone 2000, p. 203.

Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt

In 1899 the theatre was renamed Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt after the renowned actress

Sarah Bernhardt Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including by Alexandre Dumas fils, ...

, who produced there from 1899 for nearly two decades. She opened with a revival of one of her great roles, Victorien Sardou's '' La Tosca''. Other productions included a revival of Edmond Rostand's ''La Samaritaine'' and the premiere of his ''L'Aiglon'' in which she played Napoleon's son (the Duke of Reichstadt). Another well known breeches part was the title role of Marcel Schwob's adaptation of ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

''. After her death in 1923 the theatre continued under her son Maurice for several years, until his death in 1928. The theatre kept the name Sarah Bernhardt until the

Occupation of France The Military Administration in France (; ) was an Military Administration (Nazi Germany), interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zone in areas of northern and western French Third ...

by the Germans in World War II,McCormick 1995. when the name was changed to Théâtre de la Cité because of Bernhardt's

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

ish ancestry, until 1947, when it reverted to Sarah-Bernhardt. Diaghilev's

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Russian Revolution, Revolution ...

presented several premieres at the Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt, including Stravinsky's ''

Apollon musagète ''Apollo'' (originally ''Apollon musagète'' and variously known as ''Apollo musagetes'', ''Apolo Musageta'', and ''Apollo, Leader of the Muses'') is a neoclassical ballet in two '' tableaux'' composed between 1927 and 1928 by Igor Stravinsky. ...

'' (12 June 1928) and the revised '' Renard'' (21 May 1929; with choreography by

Serge Lifar Serge Lifar (, ''Serhіy Mуkhailovуch Lуfar'') ( 15 December 1986) was a Ukrainian dancer, choreographer, and one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th century. Lifar was also a choreographer, director, writer, theoretician abou ...

), and two ballets by Prokoviev, '' Le pas d'acier'' (27 May 1927) and '' Le Fils prodigue'' (21 May 1929).Program of the Ballets Russes for 21 May 1929
''Renard''
an
''Le Fils prodigue''
at Gallica.

Théâtre des Nations

The theatre was once again renamed as the Théâtre des Nations in 1957.

Théâtre de la Ville

The theatre first acquired the name Théâtre de la Ville in 1968. Since the late 1970s the institution, under the direction of Jean Mercure (1968–1985) then of Gérard Violette (1985–2008), has been internationally recognised for its

contemporary dance Contemporary dance is a genre of Concert dance, dance performance that developed during the mid-twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world, with particularly stron ...

productions and has showcased major choreographers such as

Pina Bausch Philippine "Pina" Bausch (27 July 1940 – 30 June 2009) was a German dancer and choreographer who was a significant contributor to a neo-expressionist dance tradition now known as . Bausch's approach was noted for a stylised blend of dance move ...

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker Anne Teresa, Baroness De Keersmaeker (, born 1960 in Mechelen, Belgium, grew up in Wemmel) is a contemporary dance choreographer. The dance company constructed around her, , was in residence at La Monnaie in Brussels from 1992 to 2007. Biogra ...

, Jan Fabre, Sankai Juku, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui,

Merce Cunningham Mercier Philip "Merce" Cunningham (April 16, 1919 – July 26, 2009) was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of American modern dance for more than 50 years. He frequently collaborated with artists of other discipl ...

and Carolyn Carlson and Bella Lewitzky.

References

Notes Sources *Banham, Martin (1995). ''The Cambridge Guide to the Theatre''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. . *Irvine, Demar (1994). ''Massenet: A Chronicle of His Life and Times''. Portland, Oregon: Amadeus Press. . *Lecomte, Louis-Henry (1905). ''Histoire des théâtres 1402–1904. Notice préliminaire''. Paris: Daragon
View
at

Google Books Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical charac ...

. *McCormick, John (1995). "Bernhardt, Sarah" in Banham 1995, pp. 98–99. *Simeone, Nigel (2000). ''Paris – A Musical Gazetteer''. New Haven: Yale University Press. . * Walsh, T. J. (1981). ''Second Empire Opera: The Théâtre Lyrique Paris 1851–1870''. New York: Riverrun Press. . *Wild, Nicole; Charlton, David (2005). ''Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique Paris: répertoire 1762-1972''. Sprimont, Belgium: Editions Mardaga. .

External links

*
"Inauguration du nouveau Théâtre-Lyrique (Place du Châtelet)"
in '' Le Ménestrel'' ( 2 November 1862) at Gallica. *" At The Sarah-Bernhardt Theatre" by Florence Earle Coates {{DEFAULTSORT:Theatre De La Ville Ville, Theatre de la Buildings and structures in the 4th arrondissement of Paris Theatres completed in 1862 1862 establishments in France Sarah Bernhardt