Nice Opera

The Nice Opera

A cultural stop on the Nice audio-guided tour, the opera has changed greatly since its beginnings. It all started in 1776, when the king of Sardinia allowed the Marquise Alli-Maccarani to transform her house into a small wooden theatre.

An Italian-style opera house

Fifty years later, the city of Nice bought it back, demolished it and had a grand Italian-style opera house built by the Turin architect Benedetto Brunati. On the stage curtain was painted an epic fresco recounting the exploits of the heroine Catherine Segurane during the siege of Nice. The bold architect had even designed a vast glazed bay overlooking the sea.

What to see

Transformed many times, the Nice Opera today presents an elegant facade and a richly decorated Italian-style hall. A high place of opera life on the Cote d'Azur, it hosts operas, ballets and symphony concerts throughout the year.

Practical information

The Nice Opera is in old Nice, near the seafront. Programming and performance times should be checked depending on the season with the institution.

What is the origin of the Nice Opera ?

A small wooden theatre authorised in 1776, bought back and rebuilt as a grand Italian-style opera house in the nineteenth century.

What does the stage curtain fresco represent ?

The exploits of the heroine Catherine Segurane during the siege of Nice.