Opéra de Vichy

| website = {{URL|https://opera-vichy.com}}

| website = {{URL|https://opera-vichy.com}}

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The '''Opéra de Vichy''' is an [[opera house]] located in the [[France|French]] city of [[Vichy]]. The building, designed in an [[Art Nouveau architecture|Art Nouveau style]] is located adjacent to the ''{{ill|Parc des Sources|fr|Parc des Sources (Vichy)}}'' and across the street from the former ''[[Hôtel des Ambassadeurs]]''.

The '''Opéra de Vichy''' is an [[opera house]] located in the [[France|French]] city of [[Vichy]]. The building, designed in an [[Art Nouveau architecture|Art Nouveau style]], is situated adjacent to the ''{{ill|Parc des Sources|fr|Parc des Sources (Vichy)}}'' and across the street from the former ''[[Hôtel des Ambassadeurs]]''.

The Vichy Opera offers year-round programming: the ''Saison'' (September to May) presents a multidisciplinary program: [[theatre]], [[dance]], [[opera]], [[Comedy (drama)|comedy]], [[concert]]s, etc. Since 2018, a summer program in July and August with lyrical, [[Symphony|symphonic]], [[jazz]], dance, [[pop rock]] and [[world music]] sounds takes place.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ville-vichy.fr/opera/festival |title=Festival d'été de l'Opéra de Vichy, du 14 juillet au 15 août |date=2018-04-30 |website=Ville de Vichy}}</ref>

The Vichy Opera offers year-round programming: the ''Saison'' (September to May) presents a multidisciplinary program: [[theatre]], [[dance]], [[opera]], [[Comedy (drama)|comedy]], [[concert]]s, etc. Since 2018, a summer program in July and August featuring lyrical, [[Symphony|symphonic]], [[jazz]], dance, [[pop rock]] and [[world music]] sounds takes place.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ville-vichy.fr/opera/festival |title=Festival d'été de l'Opéra de Vichy, du 14 juillet au 15 août |date=2018-04-30 |website=Ville de Vichy}}</ref>

Since October 2017, Martin Kubich has been Director of Culture for the city of Vichy and of Vichy Culture, which brings together the opera, the Vichy cultural center and the exhibitions department; he thus takes over from Diane Polya-Zeitline.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ville-vichy.fr/actualites/martin-kubich |title=Martin Kubich : Directeur de la Culture de la Ville de Vichy |date=2017-12-01 |website=Ville de Vichy}}</ref>

Since October 2017, Martin Kubich has been the Director of Culture for the city of Vichy and for Vichy Culture, which encompasses the opera, the Vichy cultural center and the exhibitions department; he thus succeeded Diane Polya-Zeitline.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ville-vichy.fr/actualites/martin-kubich |title=Martin Kubich : Directeur de la Culture de la Ville de Vichy |date=2017-12-01 |website=Ville de Vichy}}</ref>

==History==

==History==

The first [[casino]] was built at the request of [[Napoleon III]] from 1864 to 1865 by the architect Charles Badger,<ref name=Mérimée>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/merimee_fr?ACTION=CHERCHER&FIELD_1=REF&VALUE_1=PA00093344 |title=Théâtre et grand Casino (Notice № PA00093344) |website=[[Base Mérimée|POP : la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine]]}}</ref> architect of the ''[[Compagnie de Vichy|Compagnie fermière de Vichy]]''. It was inaugurated on July 2, 1865. It then had a [[Auditorium|theatre hall]]. But its old-fashioned appearance and the inadequacy of the services it could offer meant that it was extended at the beginning of the 20th century,<ref name=Col2019>Collective (2019), ''Il était une fois la reine des villes d'eaux''. Vichy. Souvenir book of the exhibition «''Il était une fois la Reine des villes d'eaux''».</ref> to the location of the bandstand of 1866, which was moved to the ''Place de la République'' (which would be destroyed in 1935 for the construction of the Post Office). The old theatre was then converted into a games room (now transformed into the large auditorium of the ''Palais des Congrès'').<ref name=Col2019/>

The first [[casino]] was built at the request of [[Napoleon III]] from 1864 to 1865 by the architect Charles Badger,<ref name=Mérimée>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/merimee_fr?ACTION=CHERCHER&FIELD_1=REF&VALUE_1=PA00093344 |title=Théâtre et grand Casino (Notice № PA00093344) |website=[[Base Mérimée|POP : la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine]]}}</ref> architect of the ''[[Compagnie de Vichy|Compagnie fermière de Vichy]]''. It was inaugurated on July 2, 1865. It then had a [[Auditorium|theatre hall]]. But its old-fashioned appearance and the inadequacy of the services it could offer meant that it was extended at the beginning of the 20th century,<ref name=Col2019>Collective (2019), ''Il était une fois la reine des villes d'eaux''. Vichy. Souvenir book of the exhibition «''Il était une fois la Reine des villes d'eaux''».</ref> to the location of the bandstand of 1866, which was moved to the ''Place de la République'' (which would be destroyed in 1935 for the construction of the Post Office). The old theatre was then converted into a games room (now transformed into the large auditorium of the ''Palais des Congrès'').<ref name=Col2019/>

''[[Aïda]]'', by [[Giuseppe Verdi]], was the first opera given at the inauguration of the theatre. First inaugurated on June 2, 1901, the entirety of this building would not be inaugurated until March 31, 1903, after the completion of the interior decorations of the opera, with the support of French architects Charles Le Cœur and Belgian Lucien Woog.

''[[Aïda]]'', by [[Giuseppe Verdi]], was the first opera given at the inauguration of the theatre. First inaugurated on June 2, 1901, the entire building was not inaugurated until March 31, 1903, after the completion of the interior decorations of the opera, with the support of French architect Charles Le Cœur and Belgian architect Lucien Woog.

The hall, in [[Art Nouveau architecture|Art Nouveau style]], has a capacity of 1,482 seats with a stage measuring 11 x 9 metres long and 15 metres deep.<ref name=Col2019/> It was then the largest hall in France after the [[Opéra Garnier]].<ref name=Col2019/>

The hall, in [[Art Nouveau architecture|Art Nouveau style]], has a capacity of 1,482 seats, with a stage measuring 11 x 9 metres in length and 15 metres in depth.<ref name=Col2019/> It was then the largest hall in France after the [[Opéra Garnier]].<ref name=Col2019/>

It was decorated by the [[Congress Poland|Polish]] painter {{ill|Léon Rudnicki|fr}}.<ref name=Millet>{{Cite journal |title=Patrimoine Musical de Vichy |journal=Fontes Artis Musicae |last=Millet-Alviset |first=Josette |issue=3 |volume=37 |pages=236–238 |publisher=International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres |year=1990 |jstor=23507898}}</ref> The vault of the dome of the dome is decorated with the faces of artists: [[Sarah Bernhardt]], [[Gabrielle Réjane]], [[Benoît-Constant Coquelin|Coquelin]], [[Cléo de Mérode]], [[Jean Mounet-Sully]]. The ironwork, the three doors, balustrades and banisters are by {{ill|Émile Robert|fr|Émile Robert (ferronnier d'art)}}.<ref name=Millet/> The masks are by the sculptor Pierre Seguin.<ref name=Millet/>

It was decorated by the [[Congress Poland|Polish]] painter {{ill|Léon Rudnicki|fr}}.<ref name=Millet>{{Cite journal |title=Patrimoine Musical de Vichy |journal=Fontes Artis Musicae |last=Millet-Alviset |first=Josette |issue=3 |volume=37 |pages=236–238 |publisher=International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres |year=1990 |jstor=23507898}}</ref> The vault of the dome is decorated with the faces of artists: [[Sarah Bernhardt]], [[Gabrielle Réjane]], [[Benoît-Constant Coquelin|Coquelin]], [[Cléo de Mérode]], [[Jean Mounet-Sully]]. The ironwork, the three doors, the balustrades and the banisters are by {{ill|Émile Robert|fr|Émile Robert (ferronnier d'art)}}.<ref name=Millet/> The masks are by the sculptor Pierre Seguin.<ref name=Millet/>

The building was listed as a [[Monument historique|historic monument]] on August 13, 1991, in particular for the entrance hall and the large gallery,<ref name=Mérimée/> and listed on March 18, 1996, for the theater hall with the galleries and the vestibule, the rooms and the ambulatories of the old games room.<ref name=Mérimée/> This monument is the only “Art Nouveau” style theater in France.

The building was listed as a [[Monument historique|historic monument]] on August 13, 1991, specifically for its entrance hall and the large gallery.<ref name=Mérimée/> It was also listed on March 18, 1996, for the theater hall, including the galleries and vestibule, the rooms and the ambulatories of the old games room.<ref name=Mérimée/> This monument is the only “Art Nouveau” style theater in France.

Vichy was known between 1901 and 1964 as the “summer capital of music”. By the 1930s, more than 90 performances were given each summer. In July 1940, after the [[Battle of France|French defeat]] at the start of the [[Second World War]], the [[Vichy France|Pétain government]] moved to Vichy and the opera house was the scene of the [[French Constitutional Law of 1940|vote of full powers]] to [[Marshal Pétain]] by the parliamentarians, inaugurating the collaborationist regime.

Vichy was known between 1901 and 1964 as the “summer capital of music”. By the 1930s, more than 90 performances were given each summer. In July 1940, after the [[Battle of France|French defeat]] at the start of the [[Second World War]], the [[Vichy France|Pétain government]] moved to Vichy, and the opera house was the scene of the [[French Constitutional Law of 1940|vote of full powers]] to [[Marshal Pétain]] by the parliamentarians, inaugurating the collaborationist regime.

In the second half of the 20th century, in addition to the decline of [[hydrotherapy]] and therefore of visitors, the activity of the opera would also decline, with the disappearance of the orchestras and [[Theatrical troupe|troupes]] in residence.

In the second half of the 20th century, in addition to the decline of [[hydrotherapy]] and, consequently, visitor numbers, the activity of the opera would also decline, with the disappearance of resident orchestras and [[Theatrical troupe|troupes]].

A [[Structure fire|fire]] ravaged the opera in 1986. The city of Vichy acquired the building the following year and restored it in 1995, taking advantage of the work to install heating in the opera and thus allow a winter season to open.

A [[Structure fire|fire]] ravaged the opera in 1986. The city of Vichy acquired the building the following year and restored it in 1995, taking advantage of the work to install heating in the opera and thus allow a winter season to open.