Theater
Impromptu performances
It is difficult to imagine the Palace of Versailles without a theater, but this was indeed the case before 1770. This is even more surprising given Louis XIV’s well-documented patronage of the arts. Up to that time, a narrow hall in the Passage du Midi had served as a provisionary setting. For special occasions, stages were erected temporarily in groves on the estate. Most of the major productions, however, were performed against the stately backdrop of the Escalier des Ambassadeurs.
It was not until 1770 that a proper venue was built, on the occasion of the wedding of the Dauphin-the future Louis XVI-and Marie-Antoinette. No banquet hall suitable to host the festivities and gala balls existed at the time. Architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel’s (1698-1782) masterful hand is clearly evident in the 712-seat L’Opéra Royal, which features superb acoustics and a mechanism in the auditorium floor enabling it to be elevated to the level of the stage.
Through the years, Versailles played host to many celebrations and performing arts productions. In 1663, when Louis XIV and his court stayed there during a hunting trip, Molière (1622-1673) arranged for his theater company to perform the playwright’s L’Impromptu de Versailles, as well as Les Fâcheux, written with Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687), and Sertorius by Pierre Corneille (1606-1684).
Era of great playwrights
During the reign of Louis XIV from 1682 to 1715, no fewer than 1,200 tragedies and comedies were performed at court. Molière, Corneille and Jean Racine (1639-1699) were the most favored of playwrights appointed to the court. The best-loved plays of the time were Les Femmes Savantes, Le Cid, Cinna and Phèdre.
In 1665, Molière’s company came to be known as La Troupe du Roi (The King’s Company) and performed L’Amour Médecin (written with Lully). Despite Molière’s death in 1673 and Racine’s retirement in 1677, theater remained an integral part of life at the palace. Renowned theater troupe La Comédie Française, founded in 1680, traveled regularly from Paris to perform.
When Louis XVI asked Marie-Antoinette to oversee the performing arts at court, she set about increasing the number of venues, breathing new life into the theater scene. At one point, she courted controversy upon her decision to arrange a performance of Le Mariage de Figaro by Beaumarchais (1732-1799) at the Petit Théâtre. Judged by many to be fiercely critical of the Ancien Régime, the play had even been banned by the king.
Feasts and celebration
Louis XIV wisely foresaw that indulging the court’s love of entertainment was the best way to foster loyalty. Versailles was frequently the site of feasts and celebrations. In May 1664, the festivities lasted eight days. One particular feast, Les Plaisirs de l’Ile Enchantée, incorporated music, games, poetry, dance and fireworks. It was also on this occasion that La Princesse d’Elide by Molière and Lully was performed. In July 1668, an even more spectacular feast-Le Grand Divertissement Royale, featuring performances of Les Fêtes de l’Amour and Bacchus by Molière and Lully-was hosted.
Six days of celebrations took place over the months of July and August 1674. The Grotte de Thetis and the Cour de Marbre served as venues for performances of Lully’s Alceste and Molière’s Malade Imaginaire. And for the last time in public, the king danced in the role of the Grand Amant in the Ballet des Amants Magnifiques.
1780 to the present day
The innovative architecture of the Théâtre Montansier provides a lasting reminder of the flourishing cultural scene of the 1780s. As the premier theater in France at the time, it drew high attendance, including patrons from Paris eager to see the latest, most popular productions. [ lien vers : Théâtre Montansier, Arts & Culture ]
Restored in 1993, the Théâtre Montansier stages contemporary and classical productions that include plays by Molière, Eugène Ionesco (1909-1994), Sacha Guitry (1885-1957) and Marcel Pagnol (1895-1974). Theater is an important aspect of performing arts in Versailles, as evidenced by its amateur companies, youth companies, drama schools, conservatory, cultural centers and the Théâtre de l’Octroi.