The Royal Opera of Versailles is the theatre of the Palace of Versailles, at the end of the north wing. Louis XV entrusted it to his First Architect, Ange-Jacques Gabriel, who began construction in 1768 after years of planning. It was inaugurated on 16 May 1770 for the marriage of the Dauphin, the future Louis XVI, to Marie Antoinette, with Lully's Persée. The oval auditorium, with stepped balconies instead of boxes, is built almost entirely of wood, painted to resemble marble in Augustin Pajou's decoration, which contributes to its renowned acoustics. From 1871 it served the National Assembly and later the Senate. The hall was restored in the 1950s, and its stage machinery in 2009 after two years of work. Today it seats just over 700, with opera and concerts presented by Château de Versailles Spectacles.
The Opéra Royal de Versailles was opened in 1770 on the occasion of the marriage of the later King Louis XVI to Marie Antoinette — the hall built entirely of wood is a unique example of Baroque theatre acoustics.
At a glance
- Type
- Opera house
- Location
- Versailles, France
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