Théâtre du Châtelet

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The Théâtre Impérial du Châtelet opened its doors for the very first time on 19 August 1862, in the presence of the Empress Eugénie. The honour of inaugurating such a prestigious occasion went to “Rothomago”, a fantasy play written by d'Ennery, Clairville and Monnier.

Seating 2,500 and boasting a stage of 24 x 35 meters, it was the largest venue of its type in Paris at the time. It was an exceptional piece of work noted for its exceptional sound qualities, achieved by using floor parquet, wood-framed seating, and a dome glass roof for optimum sound reflection. The seating sloped quite a bit, opening up perfect sight lines to the orchestra stalls (somewhat reduced however by the numerous columns).  
With the tramway running along Victoria avenue and the Bateaux-mouches ferry on the Seine river, the theatre was easy to access and attracted large numbers from the end of the 19th century, who came to applaud the fantasy plays and military dramas, two genres which underscored the theatre's stage and fire effects, and machinery (unparallel anywhere else in the world for many decades).

Eclectic from its beginnings, Châtelet opened its doors to a wide range of artistic disciplines. In 1863, the renowned actor Frédérick Lemaître presented “Don César de Bazan”. This was followed by a regular stream of plays and adaptations including Alexandre Dumas (Twenty years later, Queen Margot), Emile Zola (Germinal, L'Assommoir), Paul Féval (The Hunchback) and Eugène Sue (The Wandering Jew).

From 1873, Théâtre du Châtelet played a pivotal role in the French musical landscape with the setting up of the "Association des Concerts Colonne". Directed by its founder, Edouard Colonne to his death in 1910. The Orchestre Colonne presented turn-of-the-century French composers (Bizet, Saint-Saëns, Lalo, Massenet, Ravel…), rediscovered the genius of Berlioz, and also looked further afield presenting works from Mendelssohn, Wagner, Liszt, Schumann, Brahms and others.

Created in 1876 and 1880 respectively, "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Michel Strogoff" were regular favourites, until the outbreak of World War II.

Composers such as Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Richard Strauss and Debussy conducted their own work in Châtelet. Orchestras were also invited with Gustav Mahler giving his first concert in France in 1900 at the head of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

Châtelet was also home to operettas, variety shows and indeed, cinema with Méliès shooting two scenes for "The Four Hundred Pranks of the Devil" in 1906. Dance was not overlooked and Châtelet had its own corps de ballet.

 

THE GREAT HALL - "Italian" horse-shoe hall type, lighted by a cristal chandelier, with red velvet seats, its golden mouldings, the Theatre du Châtelet is an amazing "second empire" (1862) masterpiece.

Historical music hall on six levels
Curtain by Gérard Garouste (1980)
Orchestra pit with two different depths.
Full capacity: 2010 seats

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

METRO (subway)
lines 1/4/7/11/14 station Châtelet les Halles 
(exits: Théâtre du Châtelet or Place du Châtelet)

 

RER (commuter rail)
lines A / B / D : station Châtelet les Halles

 

BUS
lines 21/38/58/67/81/85

VELIB (rented bikes)
Station n°1003 - 7, Rue Saint Denis
Station n°4018 - 1, Rue Saint Bon
Station n°1010 - 10, Rue Boucher
Station n°4017 - 7, Place de l'hôtel de ville
Station n°1009 - 14, Rue du Pont Neuf