Henceforward that is how Berlioz referred to it in the many feuilletons in which he reviewed its numerous productions (first in Débats, 2-3 November 1852).
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At this point the Opéra-National decided to change its name: in April 1852 it now became the ‘Théâtre-Lyrique’ ( Le Ménestrel, 25 April 1852) and thereafter this was the name by which it was known. He subsequently reviewed two further productions at the Opéra-National ( Débats 13 January and 21 February 1852). By contrast Berlioz’s report on the event was much more critical and characteristically ironical ( Journal des Débats, 30 September 1851). Le Ménestrel (5 October 1851) gave a detailed and positive review of its opening production, which in its view vindicated the creation of a ‘troisième théâtre-lyrique’ to supplement the Opéra and Opéra-Comique. But a few years later the project was revived, under new management but in the same venue, and this time successfully: the new incarnation of the Opéra-National was inaugurated on 27 September 1851. Berlioz in Journal des Débats, 26 July 1848). In practice the new theatre was very short-lived, and within a few months fell victim to the upheavals caused by the revolutions of 1848 (cf. Far from providing premeditated competition to the Opéra and the Opéra-Comique, it will become the true artistic nursery of all the theatres in France. This is the third lyric theatre as it presents itself to the public and to young composers for whom it will become their cradle. Its declared purpose was to stage productions of French operas written in a lighter and popular style that appealed to a predominantly working-class audience, and to give an opening to younger composers who found it difficult or impossible to have their works performed by the Opéra or the Opéra-Comique.įrom the start the Opéra-National was sometimes referred to informally as Paris’ ‘troisième théâtre-lyrique’ or third lyric theatre, as by Berlioz himself in his retrospect over its antecedents in the Journal des Débats ( 30 September 1851), or in the detailed notice that the weekly Le Ménestrel published to announce the new theatre (7 November 1847):
#The paris opera awaiting ahead series
The theatre was housed in what had been the Cirque Olympique on Boulevard du Temple (the venue that Berlioz had used for a series of concerts in the early months of 1845).
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Initially it was given the name of ‘Opéra-National’. See also The Première of Les Troyens in November 1863Ĭompared to Paris’ other opera houses - notably the Opéra, the Opéra-Comique and the Théâtre-Italien - the Théâtre-Lyrique was a relative late-comer to the scene: its beginning can be traced to the foundation on 15 November 1847 of a new opera company by the composer Adolphe Adam. The Hector Berlioz Website - Berlioz in Paris Théâtre-Lyrique