Conservatoire d’Art Dramatique, Detail Plaque on Facade, Old Music Theater, Front, Paris, France
© 2004-2005 Pierre-René Serna (Translated by Michel Austin) The hall of the former Conservatoire1 (nowadays the Conservatoire d’Art Dramatique, in Paris’ 9th arrondissement), still remains that well-kept secret, unknown to tourists and to many Parisians. Yet this building, loaded with an illustrious musical past that is without equal, provides a unique testimony on the art of the concert halls of the past and is a priceless architectural jewel. Originally, that is in the early XVIIth century, the area of the Faubourg Poissonnière was nothing but open fields and wasteland beneath the ramparts surrounding Paris. When these were demolished and the Boulevards created, the area beyond the old city limits was parcelled out for residential homes and private hotels. This extended area of Paris, henceforth called La Nouvelle France, attracted royal attention and in the brand new rue Bergère it was decided to set up the Hôtel des Menus Plaisirs. This institution, the equivalent of the present Ministry of Culture, included within its precinct art schools and companies of actors and musicians. The architect Louis-Alexandre Giraud, who collaborated with Gabriel on the Opéra of the Versailles Château, was responsible for the original building, built between 1763 and 1787; it included storage rooms for stage sets and workshops, to which were added an adjoining theatre. This theatre, the former Théâtre de la Foire Saint-Laurent of 1752, the work of the famous stage engineer Arnould, was dismantled then reassembled at the Menus Plaisirs; it witnessed among others the first performance of La Serva Padrona by Pergolese. It was on this spot that at the instigation of Napoleon I the present hall was built between 1806 and 1811, on the plans of the architect Delannoy, inspired by the original model. Other buildings were added later, such as the library in 1808. In the meantime (in 1795), to take the place of the menus plaisirs, too redolent of the Ancien Regime
Size: 4256px × 2831px
Location: Paris, France, 2 bis, Rue de la Conservatoire, 75009
Photo credit: © Directphoto Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: architecture, chopin, city, culture, day, europe, european, facade, france, french, front, holiday, life, music, paris, parks, plaque, public, theater, tourism, travel, urban, vacation
