The Opéra de Marseille , known today as the Municipal Opera , is an opera company located in Marseille , France . In 1685, the city was the second in France after Bordeaux to have an opera house which was erected on a tennis court.
HOWEVER, the first real theater, the Grand Theater or Hall Bauveau Was constructed in 1787. During ict period of great opulence Following The Revolution It was the website of Many major opera presentations, Including Verdi ‘s Rigoletto and Il Trovatore in 1860 and performances in 1866 of Lucia di Lammermoor and Il Barbiere di Siviglia by the famous soprano, Adelina Patti . Also, French premieres of major operatic works were given in theatre: these include Aida (1877), La Fanciulla del West (1912), and an historic performance by Dame Nellie Melba inAmbrose Thomas ‘ Hamlet in 1890. Some years following the installation of electricity, in November 1919 a fire destroyed the 18th century theater, leaving only its shell and an exterior stone colonnade.
The present day opera house , the Opéra Municipal de Marseille, dates from its opening on December 4, 1924. It seats 1,800. It features a classic urn-shaped auditorium, three rings of boxes, two balconies and a gallery. A large sculpted frieze by Antoine Bourdelle sculptor frames the stage.
Designed by the three architects Ebrard, Castel, and Raymond, the theater preserved the stone colonnade, the original box office in the center of the entrance hall, from which two staircases to the elegant main home. Beauvert describes it as “an Art Deco temple”, the “soul mate” of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris.
Many well-known contemporary singers made their debut in this opera house. Among them are Alfredo Kraus , Plácido Domingo , and Renata Scotto . The house has a reputation for its very important audience, especially those members seated in the top gallery, ” the gods “. János Fürst, past music directors of the company. [1]
After World War II The Marseille opera house staged Sigurd by Ernest Reyer in 1963 and 1995. [2]
References
Notes
- Jump up^ Barry Millington (6 February 2007). “Obituary: Janos Furst” . The Guardian . Retrieved 10 February 2009 .
- Jump up^ In Review: Sigurd Performance in Marseille, Opera News , 9 December 1995.
sources
- Beauvert, Thierry. Opera Houses of the World , NY: The Vendome Press, 1995. ISBN 0-86565-978-8