Opera House

The opera-theatre, in Clermont-Ferrand

The opera-theatre of Clermont-Ferrand, former municipal opera, is a fine building with a sculpted white façade that stands out on the place de Jaude. The Clermont-Ferrand audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this Italian-style hall of the 1890s, a high cultural place of the city, that hosts shows of all kinds and takes part in the famous Short Film Festival, the largest in the world in its discipline.

History

On the right of the place de Jaude stands the opera-theatre. Built in the 1890s, when the square was still little urbanised, it contributed to restoring its status of place of passage and favoured promenade of the Clermontois. It is the architect Jean Teillard who directed its construction, like that of several other buildings of the city. The building rose on the site of the former Halle aux Toiles, revealing a prettily sculpted white façade that stands out on the square. The entrance of this six-hundred-seat opera-theatre is made on the side of the rue Desaix. A high cultural place, it hosts performances of all kinds in its fine Italian-style hall, and figures among the places of the Short Film Festival. This event, that is held every year in the month of February, is the largest short film festival of the world: an unmissable rendezvous of cinema professionals, it presents in eight days about one hundred and seventy short films come from all over the world, in more than fifteen places of the city. Created in 1981, it attracts every year more than three thousand five hundred professionals and more than one hundred and sixty thousand visitors.

What to see

Here you admire the opera-theatre, a fine building of the 1890s with a sculpted white façade signed Jean Teillard, that stands out on the place de Jaude; its six-hundred-seat Italian-style hall hosts shows of all kinds and takes part in the Short Film Festival of February, the largest in the world, that attracts every year more than one hundred and sixty thousand visitors. The opera-theatre is a high cultural place of Clermont-Ferrand. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The opera-theatre of Clermont-Ferrand lies on the place de Jaude, the entrance being on the rue Desaix side (or boulevard Desaix), reachable on foot. It is a performance hall in activity, whose programme, hours and access follow the conditions in force, which vary. It is best to enquire before coming.

What festival is held at the opera-theatre of Clermont-Ferrand?

It figures among the places of the Short Film Festival, the largest short film festival of the world, that is held every year in February; in eight days, it presents about one hundred and seventy short films from all over the world in more than fifteen places of the city, and attracts more than three thousand five hundred professionals and more than one hundred and sixty thousand visitors since its creation in 1981.

Where is the opera-theatre in Clermont-Ferrand?

On the place de Jaude, in the heart of Clermont-Ferrand, in France.