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Royal Opera of Versailles
The Royal Opera of Versailles (French: Opéra royal de Versailles) is the main theatre and opera house of the Palace of Versailles. Designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, it is also known as the Théâtre Gabriel. The interior decoration by Augustin Pajou is constructed almost entirely of wood, painted to resemble marble in a technique known as faux marble. The excellent acoustics of the opera house are at least partly due to its wooden interior.
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 Opera, 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.
Jean-Baptiste Lully's Persée — written in 1682, the year Louis XIV moved into the palace — inaugurated the Opera on 16 May 1770 in celebration of the marriage of the Dauphin — the future Louis XVI — to Marie Antoinette.
The Opera 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 Opera can accommodate 1,200.
During the French Enlightenment, the theatre became a place where political and social ideas were considered myths and superstitions were tested. As more Enlightenment thinkers began to question the tenets of religion, many eighteenth-century citizens began to replace the pulpit with the stage, and looked to the theatre for their moral instruction as well as entertainment. The nobility had a lot to do with the rise of theatre during this time. Louis XIV, who is known as the "Sun King" for playing the allegorical character of the sun in Ballet Royal de la Nuit in 1653, moved his royal court from the capital, Paris, to Versailles, aspiring to get more control of the government. The Opera, which was built for Louis XV, however, was not built until later. His mistress, Madame de Pompadour, patronized artists, actors, and musicians while bankrupting France. Meanwhile, the aristocracy and church paid no taxes, and the bourgeoisie paid for the monarchy's tastes. Yet, it was not until after the death of Louis' mistress that the construction of the Opera began.
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. The idea of it being an expression of power can be traced to one of Louis XIII's ministers, Cardinal Richelieu. Richelieu wanted to create an image of the king (and France) that displayed well roundedness in all things, 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
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, such as galleries, staircases, lounges, and gardens. 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 Royal 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.
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 Pleasures of the Enchanted Island, 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 La 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.
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Royal Opera of Versailles
The Royal Opera of Versailles (French: Opéra royal de Versailles) is the main theatre and opera house of the Palace of Versailles. Designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, it is also known as the Théâtre Gabriel. The interior decoration by Augustin Pajou is constructed almost entirely of wood, painted to resemble marble in a technique known as faux marble. The excellent acoustics of the opera house are at least partly due to its wooden interior.
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 Opera, 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.
Jean-Baptiste Lully's Persée — written in 1682, the year Louis XIV moved into the palace — inaugurated the Opera on 16 May 1770 in celebration of the marriage of the Dauphin — the future Louis XVI — to Marie Antoinette.
The Opera 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 Opera can accommodate 1,200.
During the French Enlightenment, the theatre became a place where political and social ideas were considered myths and superstitions were tested. As more Enlightenment thinkers began to question the tenets of religion, many eighteenth-century citizens began to replace the pulpit with the stage, and looked to the theatre for their moral instruction as well as entertainment. The nobility had a lot to do with the rise of theatre during this time. Louis XIV, who is known as the "Sun King" for playing the allegorical character of the sun in Ballet Royal de la Nuit in 1653, moved his royal court from the capital, Paris, to Versailles, aspiring to get more control of the government. The Opera, which was built for Louis XV, however, was not built until later. His mistress, Madame de Pompadour, patronized artists, actors, and musicians while bankrupting France. Meanwhile, the aristocracy and church paid no taxes, and the bourgeoisie paid for the monarchy's tastes. Yet, it was not until after the death of Louis' mistress that the construction of the Opera began.
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. The idea of it being an expression of power can be traced to one of Louis XIII's ministers, Cardinal Richelieu. Richelieu wanted to create an image of the king (and France) that displayed well roundedness in all things, 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
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, such as galleries, staircases, lounges, and gardens. 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 Royal 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.
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 Pleasures of the Enchanted Island, 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 La 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.