NewsEvents

Closed since June 2007, the three-storey building underwent major work, lead by chief architect of Historical Monuments Frédéric Didier, to bring it up to safety standards. The firewall that had existed since the 1950s between the house and the stage was removed as it had become run-down over time and, as a result of its layout, eliminated the use of both former foregrounds while restricting the area of the stage. The timber-frame stairs surrounding the downstage area were restored to their original purpose and character for service uses. The performers’ dressing rooms placed laterally below the stage were also eliminated, in the general context of eliminating high-risk areas, and all the theatrical machinery below the stage was brought into view so it can be seen during tours. New carriers for lighting and scenery were added to the technical grid. Lastly, the portion of the North Wing which closes off the Opera’s courtyard from Place Gambetta was reorganised to house the workshops, shops and offices, while the Actors’ Building, used until now to house civil servants of the Senate, will legitimately become the place to accommodate performers once again.

After these two years of work, the reopening of the Royal Opera will mark the end of an important stage in renovations, as well as a new ambition for the Palace of Versailles: to introduce a regular programme of shows in this prestigious building. Open to the repertoires of classical and baroque art music, both French and foreign, as well as theatre and dance, the Palace of Versailles is welcoming the greatest names on the French and international scene to the Royal Opera since the 2009-2010 season.