 View of Théâtre des Champs-Élysées fromavenue Montaigne, with visible bas-reliefs byAntoine Bourdelle | |
 Interactive map of Théâtre des Champs-Élysées | |
| Coordinates | 48°51′57″N02°18′11″E / 48.86583°N 2.30306°E /48.86583; 2.30306 |
|---|---|
| Public transit |   Alma-Marceau, Franklin D. Roosevelt,  Pont de l'Alma, 42, 63, 72, 80, 92 |
| Owner | Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations |
| Type | Theatre,concert hall,opera house |
| Capacity | 1,905 (Théâtre), 601 (Comédie), 230 (Studio) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1913 |
| Architect |
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| Website | |
| www.theatrechampselysees.fr www.comediedeschampselysees.com | |
| Designated | 11 December 1957 |
| Reference no. | PA00088883 |
TheThéâtre des Champs-Élysées (French pronunciation:[teɑtʁədeʃɑ̃z‿elize]) is an entertainment venue standing at 15avenue Montaigne inParis. It is situated nearAvenue des Champs-Élysées, from which it takes its name. Its eponymous main hall may seat up to 1,905 people, while the smaller Comédie and Studio des Champs-Élysées above the latter may seat 601 and 230 people respectively.
Commissioned by impresarioGabriel Astruc, the theatre was built from 1911 to 1913 upon the designs of brothersAuguste Perret and Gustave Perret following a scheme byHenry van de Velde,[1] and became the first example ofArt Deco architecture in the city.[2] Less than two months after its inauguration, the Théâtre hosted the world premiere of theBallets Russes'Rite of Spring, which provoked one of the most famousclassical music riots.[3][4]
At present, the theatre shows about three staged opera productions a year, mostlybaroque or chamber works more suited to the modest size of its stage andorchestra pit. It also houses an important concert season. It is the home venue of theOrchestre National de France and theOrchestre Lamoureux, and serves as a French base for theVienna Philharmonic Orchestra as well.
The theatre is built ofreinforced concrete and features rectangular forms, straight lines, and decoration attached to the outside on plaques of marble and stucco, which was a radical departure from theArt Nouveau style,[5][6][7] and, at the time, shockingly plain in appearance.
The building's concrete construction was not merely a stylistic choice. Subsoil conditions and the site's proximity to theSeine made concrete necessary.Henry van de Velde was the initial architect, resigning when it was clear that the contractors, the Perret brothers, had a far deeper understanding of reinforced concrete construction than he did, although the Perrets, were not licensed architects and had another designer, Roger Bouvard, sign their plans.[8]
The building includes an exteriorbas relief byAntoine Bourdelle, a dome byMaurice Denis, paintings byÉdouard Vuillard andJacqueline Marval, and a stage curtain byKer-Xavier Roussel. The building houses two smaller stages, the Comédie des Champs-Élysées theatre on the 3rd floor, and the Studio des Champs-Élysées on the 5th floor.
The building is considered a landmark ofmodern architecture,[9] and has been amonument historique of France since 1957.[10]
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Gabriel Astruc was the first director of the theatre, and programmed contemporary music, dance and opera, including works byClaude Debussy andIgor Stravinsky.[11]
Although Astruc was soon financially overextended, the first season was "nothing short of dazzling."[12] The theatre opened on 2 April 1913 with a gala concert featuring five of France's most renowned composers conducting their own works: Claude Debussy (Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune), Paul Dukas (L'apprenti sorcier),Gabriel Fauré (La naissance de Vénus),Vincent d'Indy (Le camp fromWallenstein), andCamille Saint-Saëns (Phaéton and excerpts from his choral workLa lyre et la harpe). This was followed the next day with a performance of Hector Berlioz's operaBenvenuto Cellini conducted byFelix Weingartner which included a "dance spectacular" byAnna Pavlova. Later there was a series of concerts devoted toBeethoven conducted by Weingartner and featuring the pianistsAlfred Cortot andLouis Diémer, and the sopranoLilli Lehmann. TheRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam conducted byWillem Mengelberg gave two concerts:Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and the Paris premiere of Fauré's operaPénélope (10 May).[12]
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Sergei Diaghilev'sBallets Russes presented the company's fifth season, although their first in the new theatre, opening on 15 May with Igor Stravinsky'sThe Firebird, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov'sScheherazade (as choreographed byMichel Fokine), and the world premiere of Debussy'sJeux (with choreography byVaslav Nijinsky and designs byLéon Bakst). Some in the audiences had been offended by the depiction on stage of a tennis game inJeux, but this was nothing compared to the reaction to the ritual sacrifice in Stravinsky'sRite of Spring on 29 May.[12]Carl Van Vechten described the scene:
A certain part of the audience was thrilled by what it considered to be a blasphemous attempt to destroy music as an art, and, swept away with wrath, began very soon after the rise of the curtain, to make cat-calls and to offer audible suggestions as to how the performance should proceed. The orchestra played unheard, except occasionally when a slight lull occurred. The young man seated behind me in the box stood up during the course of the ballet to enable himself to see more clearly. The intense excitement under which he was labouring betrayed itself presently when he began to beat rhythmically on top of my head with his fists. My emotion was so great that I did not feel the blows for some time.[13]
Marie Rambert heard someone in the gallery call out: "Un docteur … un dentiste … deux docteurs…."[14] The second performance (4 June) was less eventful, and, according toMaurice Ravel, the entire musical work could actually be heard.[12]
The first season ended on 26 June 1913 with a performance ofPénélope, and the new one opened on 2 October with the same work. On 9 October d'Indy conducted Carl Maria von Weber's operaDer Freischütz. On 15 October Debussy conducted theIbéria section from his orchestral triptychImages pour orchestre, and a week later he conducted his cantataLa Damoiselle élue. By 20 November Astruc was out of money and was ejected from the theatre, and the sets and costumes were impounded. The following season consisted of operas presented byCovent Garden and theBoston Opera Company.[12]
During most ofWorld War I, the theatre was closed,[12] but theCongress of Allied Women on War Service was held there in August 1918.[15]Pavlova's ballet company presented a short season of dance performances in 1919.[12]
The theatre was purchased by MadameGanna Walska (Mrs.Harold Fowler McCormick) in 1922, although not with the intention of being its manager. She stated that she had purchased the nine-year lease fromJacques Hébertot, who would remain the manager.[16]
In 1923Louis Jouvet was named director of the smaller Comédie des Champs-Élysées (located upstairs, over the foyer of the main theatre[17]).[18] The Comédie stage was the home ofJules Romains' long-running medical satire,Dr. Knock (1923), in which Jouvet played the title role.[19] Jouvet also stagedCharles Vildrac'sMadame Béliard (1925),Bernard Zimmer'sBava the African (1926),Jean Sarment'sLeopold the Well-Beloved (1927), andMarcel Achard'sJean of the Moon (1929).[18] He is perhaps best known for directing the premier of three ofJean Giraudoux's plays:Siegfried in 1928,Amphitryon 38 in 1929, andIntermezzo in 1933.[20]
On 4 October 1923, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées was the site of a spectacular location shoot forMarcel L'Herbier’s filmL'Inhumaine. More than 2,000 invited guests filled the theatre to play the audience at a fictional concert, while ten cameras recorded their reactions.George Antheil performed his own dissonant music to stir up whistles, applause, and protests beforeGeorgette Leblanc appeared on stage. Among those present were leading artists and intellectuals of the period, includingErik Satie,Pablo Picasso,James Joyce,Ezra Pound, and thePrince of Monaco.[21][22]
On 4 December 1924 theBallets Suédois production ofFrancis Picabia'sRelâche, described by him as aballet instantanéist was premiered in the main theatre. The music byErik Satie was conducted byRoger Désormière. The ballet included an interlude with a film byRené Clair (shot on the roof of the theatre), which was accompanied by Saties's "new and astonishing film scoreCinéma."[12] At the conclusion of the ballet, Satie took his curtain call in Désormière'scar.[12]
Duran Duran filmed the video forNew Moon On Monday here in January 1984.
The theatre shows about three staged opera productions a year, mostlybaroque or chamber works, suited to the modest size of its stage andorchestra pit. In addition, it houses an important concert season. It is home to two orchestras: theOrchestre National de France andOrchestre Lamoureux, as well as the French base of theVienna Philharmonic Orchestra. TheOrchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, theOrchestre des Champs-Élysées and Ensemble orchestral de Paris play most of their concerts here too, along with otherdance,chamber music,recital andpop events.
Although the theatre is privately owned, it is supported by theCaisse des Dépôts et Consignations, which has owned the building since 1970. The theater houses a restaurant on its roof, called Maison Blanche.[23]
Yasmina Reza's'Art' premiered on the Comédie stage in 1994, winning twoMolière awards.[24]
Prices can be expensive for the main stage, and vary widely even for a particular event, from €15 for restricted visibility to €180 for the best seats (April 2022).
The theater, both outside and inside, was featured in the 1973 French espionage movieEscape to Nowhere. It appeared in Jan Kounen's 2009 filmCoco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky, starring Mads Mikkelsen and Anna Mougalis in the title roles. The film begins with a brief exterior shot followed by an extensive recreation of the original staging of the "Rite of Spring" and the audience reaction. The theater was the main venue for the 2006 romantic comedyFauteuils d'orchestre (Orchestra Seats), starring Cécile de France and directed by Danièle Thompson.
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