Opera

The Reims opera house, a nineteenth-century lyric stage

Inaugurated in 1873, the Reims opera house is one of the city's great cultural landmarks. Its Italian-style auditorium carries on the taste for live performance that has animated Reims since the nineteenth century. The Reims audio-guided tour stops here to tell how the city gave itself a theatre worthy of its ambitions and its growing audience.

From a cramped hall to a grand theatre

Before 1873, Reims had only a small performance hall for its theatrical productions, much appreciated at the time. As the city grew, this hall became too cramped for an ever-larger audience. From 1866, the construction of a new theatre was decided, which opened a few years later. The opera house reflects the cultural rise of a city in full expansion.

What to see

The opera house appeals through its façade and its interior decor, in the tradition of Italian-style theatres, with velvet, gilding and tiered balconies. It is above all a living place, offering a season of shows, operas and concerts. Attending a performance remains the finest way to discover the auditorium, beneath the gilding of nineteenth-century architecture.

Practical information

The Reims opera house stands on Rue de Vesle, right in the centre, reachable on foot. The façade can be freely admired; access to the auditorium is mainly during the season's performances, whose programme and times vary through the year. To find out about performances and any tours of the building, it is best to enquire with the institution.

When was the Reims opera house inaugurated?

It was inaugurated in 1873, following the decision taken in 1866 to replace the old performance hall, which had become too small for the Reims audience.

Can you visit the Reims opera house?

It is mainly discovered by attending a performance of its season; the façade can be admired from the outside and any tours of the building depend on the programme, to be checked with the institution.