Imperial Theatre

The building on the corner in front of you may look like a simple 19th-century structure, but it’s the Imperial Theater! It may seem modest now, but Napoleon III had envisioned something far more grand. He had originally planned a grand theater, worthy of hosting his distinguished guests during their stays in Compiègne. There was already a theater, but it was too small and outdated, so Napoleon III decided it wasn’t appropriate for receiving such important visitors. He chose the site of the former Carmelite convent and tasked the architect, who had already worked on the renovations of the palace, to build a larger, more modern Italian-style theater. The elevated walkway you see overlooking the street was also part of his plan, designed to connect the palace’s grand apartments to the royal box. Construction began in 1867, with the architect drawing inspiration from the Versailles Opera to create a building perfectly in line with the Second Empire style. However, France was at war with Prussia, and the defeat at Sedan in 1870 left the country devastated. A lack of funds meant construction was halted in 1870. The walls were up, but the stage’s decoration had barely begun. Only the sculptor Gustave Crauk managed to complete his work, and his statues still grace the stage today. However, the ceiling, commissioned from the painter Delaunay, famous for his monumental frescoes, remained unfinished. But his preparatory sketches, now kept at the Nantes Museum (his hometown), reveal the artistic ambition behind the project. It wasn’t until 1987, with Pierre Jourdan and his association “For the Imperial Theater of Compiègne,” that a large-scale renovation project began. Inaugurated in 1991, the new performance hall now hosts “The French Music Theater,” dedicated to reviving the national lyrical repertoire. If you love opera, this is the place to be! The acoustics are said to be impeccable.