The Opéra de Lyon stands on the Place de la Comédie opposite the city hall. A first theatre by Jacques-Germain Soufflot opened in 1756, and the neoclassical building by Antoine-Marie Chenavard and Jean-Marie Pollet followed in 1831. Between 1989 and 1993 Jean Nouvel transformed it radically: keeping only the façades and foyer, he dug below ground for rehearsal space and added a steel and glass barrel vault that also provides space for the ballet company. The horseshoe-shaped main auditorium with 1,100 seats is suspended from massive steel girders inside, with a 200-seat amphitheatre below. It is home to the orchestra, chorus and ballet of the Opéra national de Lyon. In the critics' poll of Opernwelt magazine it was named Opera House of the Year for the 2016/17 season.
The Opéra de Lyon received a radically modern conversion under Jean Nouvel in 1993 — the historic 1831 building gained a vaulted black roof with an integrated dance studio.
At a glance
- Type
- Opera house
- Location
- Lyon, France
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