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| The Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux |
On a recent dames’ day out in Bordeaux we are looking forward to a tour of the opera house, le Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux. We checked the National Opera website for tour days and hours but have discovered that the information is not correct. As we eventually figure out, tour tickets are now only available at the Bordeaux Office de Tourisme, a block down the street at 12 cours du XXX juillet. Options for visiting the Grand-Théâtre can be found at the end of the post.
Temple to the Arts
After several unfortunate catastrophies with Bordeaux’s early performance venues, including a fire in 1755, regional and city leaders selected architect Victor Louis to design a new theater. The ambitious project was aimed at maintaining Bordeaux’s place as France’s second-most opulent city after Paris.
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| Victor Louis, architect of the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux |
Located at the Place de Comédie, the construction of the Neoclassical “temple to the arts” hit many bumps in the road before it finally was completed in 1780.
Not all the reviews were positive. The 19th-century French writer Stendhal described the Grand-Théâtre as “… worthless as architecture. Twelve Corinthian columns, all spindly and ill-arranged, bear the load of an enormous entablature weighed down with twelve ludicrous statues. As soon as one takes a step back, the eye is blighted by the sign of a cumbersome roof, as vast as it is ugly.”
But contrary to Stendhal’s rant, the Grand-Théâtre and Victor Louis’s reputation have withstood the test of time. Due to age, normal wear-and-tear, damage from lighting sources and a few redesign follies, the theater has undergone tremendous reconstruction and preservation work and has been brought back to its original glory. Today the Grand-Théâtre is considered the jewel in the architectural crown of Bordeaux — a World Heritage site and one of France’s most popular destinations.
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| Nine muses and three goddesses atop the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux |
The main façade of the Grand-Théâtre is a portico of 12 Corinthian columns, above which are statues, conceived by sculptor Pierre Berruer, of the nine muses and three goddesses of Classical mythology: Venus (love), Juno (fertility) and Minerva (war). Can you name the muses? (Answers are at the end of this blog post.)
BONUS QUIZ: Match the Muses
1. Euterpe
2. Urania
3. Calliope
4. Terpsichore
5. Melpomene
6. Thalia
7. Polyhymnia
8. Erato
9. Clio
b. epic poetry and eloquence
c. rhetoricd. lyric poetry
e. tragedy
f. music
g. astronomy
h. history
i. dance
Upon entering the lobby, our first stop is the full-length marble statue of Victor Louis by Amédée Jouandot (1860). Next, we head to the Grand Staircase. The elegant steps and landing served as inspiration for Charles Garnier when he designed the Opéra de Paris less than a century later.
The main auditorium, or Grande Salle, originally was built to a capacity of 1,700; today it holds 1,114. The original blue, white and gold colors — a tribute to the monarchy — were restored in 1989. Late 18th-century painter Jean-Baptise Robin chose the theme of “Apollo and the muses accept the dedication of a temple erected by the City of Bordeaux” for the auditorium’s ceiling. The late-20th century restoration was completed by painter Jean Vidal.
The Grande Salle is just one of the impressive venues inside the theater. The concert hall, often used as a ballroom in the 19th century, was nearly ruinied by architect Richard-François Bonfin. In the 1850s-1860s, Charles Burguet carried out a major restoration of the hall. Formerly called the Grand Foyer, it was renamed Salon Gérard Boireau in 2005 ; Boireau was the theater’s director in the 1970s and 1980s.
One other tip: A guidebook, “The Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux” is available in the gift shop for €12. It provides a wealth of information about the fascinating history of the theater. Much of the information contained in this post is attributed to this book. For more information, visit the Bordeaux’s Office de Tourisme website or call 05.56.00.66.00.
Answers to Match the Muse: 1-f, 2-g, 3-b, 4-i, 5-e, 6-a, 7-c, 8-d, 9-h
Upon entering the lobby, our first stop is the full-length marble statue of Victor Louis by Amédée Jouandot (1860). Next, we head to the Grand Staircase. The elegant steps and landing served as inspiration for Charles Garnier when he designed the Opéra de Paris less than a century later.
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| The Grand Staircase of the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux |
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| The Classical attributes of Apollo are the lyre, sun and laurel. |
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| Cloistered vault ceiling above the Grand Staircase of the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux |
The main auditorium, or Grande Salle, originally was built to a capacity of 1,700; today it holds 1,114. The original blue, white and gold colors — a tribute to the monarchy — were restored in 1989. Late 18th-century painter Jean-Baptise Robin chose the theme of “Apollo and the muses accept the dedication of a temple erected by the City of Bordeaux” for the auditorium’s ceiling. The late-20th century restoration was completed by painter Jean Vidal.
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| Interior of the Grande Salle of the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux |
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| The ceiling of the Grande Salle is both allegorical and realist — a tribute to the arts, to the craftsmen who built the theater and to the City of Bordeaux itself. |
The Grande Salle is just one of the impressive venues inside the theater. The concert hall, often used as a ballroom in the 19th century, was nearly ruinied by architect Richard-François Bonfin. In the 1850s-1860s, Charles Burguet carried out a major restoration of the hall. Formerly called the Grand Foyer, it was renamed Salon Gérard Boireau in 2005 ; Boireau was the theater’s director in the 1970s and 1980s.
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| Apollo and the Muses, painted by William Bouguereau, graces the ceiling of the Salon Gérard Boireau at the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux. |
Exposition de l’été
Each summer, the Grand-Théâtre hosts a special exhibition, and this year, fashion and accessories are in the spotlight. “Plus que parfaits ! Corps augmentés en scène” (“More than Perfect: Body Increased by Fashion Accessories”), designed by architects/designers Philippe Casaban and Eric Charbeau, is showing through Sept. 6, 2015. |
| Plus que parfaits! Corps augmentés en scène exhibition at the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux |
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| Plus que parfaits! Corps augmentés en scène exhibition at the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux |
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| Plus que parfaits! Corps augmentés en scène exhibition at the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux |
If you go
The Grand-Théâtre’s summer hours (through Sept. 6) are noon to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Visitors can purchase tickets to the theater’s summer exhibition in the theater gift shop or at the Office de Tourisme for €5. Guided theater tours (€9.50) are offered only in French (no English audio or written guides are provided) at noon and 5 p.m. and include admission to the exhibition. My recommendation: Buy tickets for the exhibition, then you can see the lobby and Grand Staircase as well as the auditorium if it isn’t being used for group tours or rehearsals.One other tip: A guidebook, “The Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux” is available in the gift shop for €12. It provides a wealth of information about the fascinating history of the theater. Much of the information contained in this post is attributed to this book. For more information, visit the Bordeaux’s Office de Tourisme website or call 05.56.00.66.00.
Answers to Match the Muse: 1-f, 2-g, 3-b, 4-i, 5-e, 6-a, 7-c, 8-d, 9-h
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