It is the most perfect time to head to the French city of Bordeaux. There we find a large number of constructions, buildings and corners that, of course, leave absolutely no one indifferent. We find a clear example in the Gran Teatro.
We are facing an imposing theater that was inaugurated in April 1780, with Jean Racine’s Athalía being the protagonist work. Of course, the one who ordered its construction was none other than Marshal Richelieu. Almost a decade later, in 1789, La Fille Mal Gardée premiered, in which Marius Petipa was in charge of the choreography.
It was designed by Victor Louis, who also worked on the gardens of the Palais Royal. In addition, he managed to win the Rome Grand Prix. Far from everything remaining there, it served as inspiration for Charles Garnier when building the historic Paris Opera.
Grand Theater of Bordeaux | Image by Michel BUZE on Wikipedia, license: CC BY-SA
This construction is neoclassical in style and, at first, it was erected as a temple of the arts. In fact, in the portico, there are 12 columns with 12 statues: Juno, Venus, Minerva and nine muses. Inside, it stands out for housing no more and no less than 1,000 seats in its central room.
In 1871, this Grand Theater of Bordeaux served as the National Assembly of the Parliament of France, while in 1991 an intensive restoration was carried out. Be that as it may, this construction has the oldest wooden structure that, for the moment, has not needed to be repaired.
Today, the Grand Theater of this French city is the headquarters of both the Bordeaux National Opera and the National Ballet. Far from everything remaining there, it once housed none other than the Bordeaux Aquitaine Symphony Orchestra until, in 2013, it moved to the city auditorium.
Ceiling of the Bordeaux Grand Theater | Image by Oliwan on Wikipedia, license: CC BY-SA
The theaters before the Grand Theater of Bordeaux
The first ones to be built were in the Italian style and arose approximately in the 18th century. In this city, specifically, in 1739 the councilors ordered the construction of a stone room in the gardens of what was, at that time, the city’s Town Hall. This theater was destroyed by a fire that took place at the end of December 1755.
Five years later, it was decided to build a new venue near the Plaza del Dauphin, specifically on rue de la Corderie. As a curiosity, one of the most recognized actors in the country came to perform in this Theater on several occasions: Le Kain. But Bordeaux’s change of direction came with the construction of that Grand Theater which, without a doubt, continues to be one of the city’s great attractions.
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2023-12-23 17:13:00
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