Adventures of Opéra Comique
Opéra Comique, a subversive style before being a fascinating building
Opéra Comique is a theatre style before being a magnificient building in Paris 2nd arrondissement. Indeed, the theatre group embodying this style existed well before the monument back in the end of the XVIIth century. It soon raised wrath and of the traditional theatre institutions. Why?
Opéra “Comique” does not aim at providing “fun” as it litteral translation from English to French would mean, unlike “Comédie”. Opéra Comique is actually rooted in the very opposition to noble genres of lyrical tragedy, heroic ballets and ‘pastoral’ (shephreds stories in a bucolic setting) which were dubbed by the King in the XVIIth.
Opéra Comique actually mixes everything, in particular, Singing and spoken theatre alternate during every performance. King’s official theatre groups (the classical Comédie Française for spoken theatre and Académie Lyrique for Singing and opéra) did everthing to kill this competing, cheeky theatre group who was not afraid of mocking eminent ladies of the Kingdom.
Opéra Comique was long known as “Italian Comedians”, who were banned by Louis XIV in 1667. It was reborn in Paris with artists taking over the Italian Comedian scenes and style, and Opéra Comique took its name on the dedicated privilege granted by King Louis XIV to play in 1715. However, they were frequently prevented to perform because traditional institions were jealous of their success. To perform freely, they played a bit everywhere as a real street theatre, notably around the current “Boulevard des Italiens”. The latter was not randomly named like this : theatre group of Opéra Comique was inspired by Italian’s Comedia Del’arte theatre style. It puts feast at the center of the performance, as well as pantomine, uses signs as a trick when forbidden to sing.. a real street theatre with a lot of improvisation and audience involvement. The fury from the traditional institutions came from the fact that… Opéra Comique comedians spoofed a lot of productions for the greatest delight of the audience! They were inventive, flexible and offered theatre to anyone.
The troubled story continues...
Opéra Comique theatre group was finally granted a place in 1783… thanks to the indebtness and misfortune of the Duc de Choiseul (our flat is inspired by his name of course! as it is situated in his lands).
In the 1770s, Duc de Choiseul was heavily indebted and forced to sell his lands, but gave a plot of land for the future Opéra Comique to King Louis XVI and paid to erect the building in a hope to regain the King’s favours, as he had previously been disgraced by King Louis XV. Spoiler: it did not work, and Duc de Choiseul stayed at Amboise (small city in Loire castle region, South of Paris)!
At Duc de Choiseul Flat, you actually stay on the former garden of Duc de Choiseul’s immense property that covered all the North of Richelieu Street. Duc de Choiseul flat is situated in what was in the XVIIIth century at the upper limit of the elegant Paris under Ancient Regime (King of France Monarchy, just before French Revolution)!
Back to Opéra Comique: it burnt 2 times, in 1838, and in 1887 due to gas lightning default. The 90 death caused were not so much due to fire…, but to people rushing all at the main entrance (no alternative two-side exits existed at that time) and crashing on the ground as they saw nothing in the dark!
After 11 years of rehabilitation under Louis Bernier, the Opéra Comique premises are finally unveiled in 1898. It is impressive with its facade decoration structured by 6 caryatids (imposing feminines scupltures supporting a charge on their head) as we know today.
In 2015-2017, Opéra Comique had to be fully renovated again, to match modern safety standards (for approximately 23 millions euros). A particular attention was brought to revive the “Favart red” shade (from the name of Opéra Comique first manager) !
Places of interest around one of the most secret theatre in Paris
If you choose Duc de Choiseul Flat to stay in Paris for your family trip or weekend with friends, you will have the opportunity to discover many, many monuments around only by foot:
- Boulevards des Italiens and its sublime massive buildings, in particular Crédit Lyonnais former headquarters (2 Boulevards des Italiens) - 2 minutes by foot,
- Opéra Garnier - 10 minutes by foot,
- Bourse - a historical place for trading and finance, now a private exhibiition venue but still worth walking around it to see its great architecture
- Louvois garden (square Louvois) 10 minutes by foot and, not very far from there, Bibliothèque Nationale de France and its stunning Oval Room (visit is free),
- Louvre musuels
Check Duc de Choiseul Flat availabilities to stay at a place which very close to these areas, for your trip in Paris!
What can I see at Opéra Comique as a show and is it expensive?
Opéra Comique season runs from end of september to May, with around 5 successive performance planned. It mixes emblematic theatre piece such as Carmen by Bizet or Manon by Massenet (2 statues of these female characters welcome you in the hall of Opéra Comique) with today’s creations. Check the entire program here.
A seat price ranges from 6€ to 210€ depending on the placement as well as the day of the week.
Check Duc de Choiseul Flat availabilities to organize your stay in Paris and enjoy a vacation rental not even 2 minutes from Opéra Comique! Either an artist performing there or an Opéra lover, it will be a pleasure to accomodate you.
Fun facts
Opéra Comique was in the XIXth century a place for well-born families to show unmarried daughters and make sure they are visible and find a man with a good situation to marry!
Duc de Choiseul, that we mentioned before, was not reintroduced to the Court of the French King despite his donation to Opéra Comique, but he was granted a lifetime balcony by King Louis XVI. This privilege still exists, despite the fact that the French State tried severa times to make it cancelled by justice. His heirs still benefit from the private loge, although its space has been significantly reduced since the 2015 renovation.
Opéra Comique people (around 100) maintain and enhance 6,000 costumes (not stored all in the hot storage space of Opéra Comique, not ideal for conservation). Some wigs are made in yack fur! The costume specialists sometimes have to be very ingenius to also design scene accessories, such as an apparently heavy clock that is actually made of polystyrene so that a comedian can carry it as part of the role!
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