Théâtre des Nouveautés
Encyclopedia
The name Théâtre des Nouveautés ("Theatre of the New") has been used successively to refer to several different Paris
ian theatre companies and their buildings, beginning in 1827. The current theatre (pictured) was built in 1921 and is located at 24 boulevard Poissonnière (Paris, 9th arr.).
. The founder was Cyprien Bérard, a former director of the Théâtre du Vaudeville
. The programs consisted of ballads, opéras comiques (Hector Berlioz
was a chorister there for a few months), satires and political plays. The theatre suffered the prohibitions of censorship and had recurrent difficulties with the Opéra-Comique
, which refused to share its privileges. However, for other reasons Bérard was forced to close his theatre on 15 February 1832.
By chance the Opéra-Comique, which had been bankrupted by the exorbitant rents at the Salle Ventadour
, left that theatre and on 24 September 1832 opened at the Salle de la Bourse, which was often still referred to as the Théâtre des Nouveautés. The Opéra-Comique remained at the theatre for almost eight years, and the premieres of Hérold's Ludovic
and Le pré aux clercs
, Adam's Le chalet
and Le postillon de Lonjumeau
, Halévy's L'éclair
, Auber's L'ambassadrice
and Le domino noir
, and Donizetti's La fille du régiment
were all given there. The company's last performance in the theatre was on 30 April 1840, after which it moved to the new (second) Salle Favart.
The Théâtre du Vaudeville then moved into the Salle de la Bourse, remaining there until 1869, when it moved into a new theatre on the Boulevard des Capucines
. The Salle de la Bourse was closed and immediately demolished. In its place there is now a pub named The Vaudeville in memory of that theatre.
(Paris, 2nd arr.). Founded by Jules Brasseur (who had been an actor for over twenty years at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal
) in collaboration with Mme Michaux (director of the Théâtre Royal du Parc
in Brussels), the new theatre was built on the site of the old Fantaisies-Parisiennes, which had been inaugurated in 1864 and in 1875 completely rebuilt in a more convenient and carefully redecorated fashion as the Folies-Ollier. This incarnation of the Théâtre des Nouveautés was demolished in 1911 to allow the construction of the rue des Italiens.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian theatre companies and their buildings, beginning in 1827. The current theatre (pictured) was built in 1921 and is located at 24 boulevard Poissonnière (Paris, 9th arr.).
Previous theatres
The name was used for three different companies prior to inauguration of the current company in 1921.1827–1832 (Salle de la Bourse)
The first Théâtre des Nouveautés opened on 10 March 1827 in the Salle de la Bourse (capacity 1250) located on the rue Vivienne, (Paris 2nd arr.) across from the Paris BourseParis Bourse
The Paris Bourse is the historical Paris stock exchange, known as Euronext Paris from 2000 onwards.-History and functioning:...
. The founder was Cyprien Bérard, a former director of the Théâtre du Vaudeville
Théâtre du Vaudeville
The Théâtre du Vaudeville was a theatre in Paris. It opened on 12 January 1792 on rue de Chartres. Its directors, Piis and Barré, mainly put on "petites pièces mêlées de couplets sur des airs connus", including vaudevilles....
. The programs consisted of ballads, opéras comiques (Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
was a chorister there for a few months), satires and political plays. The theatre suffered the prohibitions of censorship and had recurrent difficulties with the Opéra-Comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
, which refused to share its privileges. However, for other reasons Bérard was forced to close his theatre on 15 February 1832.
By chance the Opéra-Comique, which had been bankrupted by the exorbitant rents at the Salle Ventadour
Salle Ventadour
The Salle Ventadour, a former Parisian theatre in the rue Neuve-Ventadour, now the rue Méhul , was built between 1826 and 1829 for the Opéra-Comique, to designs by Jacques-Marie Huvé, a prominent architect...
, left that theatre and on 24 September 1832 opened at the Salle de la Bourse, which was often still referred to as the Théâtre des Nouveautés. The Opéra-Comique remained at the theatre for almost eight years, and the premieres of Hérold's Ludovic
Ludovic (opera)
Ludovic is a two act opéra comique to a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges. The music, by Ferdinand Hérold, was left unfinished at his death, and the work was completed by Fromental Halévy....
and Le pré aux clercs
Le Pré aux clercs
Le pré aux clercs is an opéra comique in three acts by Ferdinand Hérold with a libretto by François-Antoine-Eugène de Planard based on Prosper Mérimée's Chronique du temps de Charles IX of 1829.-Performance history:...
, Adam's Le chalet
Le chalet
Le chalet is an opéra-comique in one act by Adolphe Adam to a French libretto by Eugène Scribe and Mélésville after the singspiel Jery und Bätely by Goethe...
and Le postillon de Lonjumeau
Le postillon de Lonjumeau
Le postillon de Lonjumeau is an opéra-comique in three acts by Adolphe Adam to a French libretto by 'Adolphe de Leuven' and 'Brunswick' ....
, Halévy's L'éclair
L'éclair
L'éclair is an opéra comique by Fromental Halévy to a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges.L'éclair was premiered by the Paris Opéra-Comique at the Salle de la Bourse on 16 December 1835; Jacques Offenbach was a cellist in the orchestra...
, Auber's L'ambassadrice
L'ambassadrice
L'ambassadrice is an opera or opéra comique in 3 acts by composer Daniel Auber. The work's French language libretto was written by Eugène Scribe and Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges. The opera's world premiere was staged by the Opéra-Comique at the Théâtre des Nouveautés in Paris on 21 December...
and Le domino noir
Le domino noir
Le domino noir is an opéra comique by the French composer Daniel Auber, first performed on 2 December 1837 by the Opéra-Comique at the Salle de la Bourse in Paris. The libretto to the three-act piece is by Auber's usual collaborator, Eugène Scribe. It was one of Auber's most successful works,...
, and Donizetti's La fille du régiment
La fille du régiment
La fille du régiment is an opéra comique in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti. It was written while the composer was living in Paris, with a French libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jean-François Bayard.La figlia del reggimento, a slightly different Italian-language version , was...
were all given there. The company's last performance in the theatre was on 30 April 1840, after which it moved to the new (second) Salle Favart.
The Théâtre du Vaudeville then moved into the Salle de la Bourse, remaining there until 1869, when it moved into a new theatre on the Boulevard des Capucines
Boulevard des Capucines
The Boulevard des Capucines is one of the four 'grands boulevards' in Paris, a chain of boulevards running east-west that also includes Boulevard de la Madeleine, Boulevard des Italiens, and Boulevard Montmartre....
. The Salle de la Bourse was closed and immediately demolished. In its place there is now a pub named The Vaudeville in memory of that theatre.
1866–1873 (rue du Faubourg-Saint-Martin)
After more than thirty years of eclipse, a second Théâtre des Nouveautés was inaugurated on 7 April 1866 in a theatre on the (Paris [10 arrondissement of Paria|10th arr.]]), replacing the Salle Raphael, which had been built in 1863 and temporarily housed the troupe of the Théâtre des Délassements-Comiques in 1864. But a fire completely destroyed the new theatre just eight months after its opening. Rebuilt in less than three months, the theatre reopened on 28 January 1867. Many productions followed until October 1873 when the theatre returned to its former name - Théâtre des Délassements-Comiques. This incarnation of the theatre was demolished in 1878.1878–1911 (boulevard des Italiens)
On 12 June 1878 a new Théâtre des Nouveautés was inaugurated at 26 boulevard des ItaliensBoulevard des Italiens
The boulevard des Italiens is one of the four 'grands boulevards' in Paris, a chain running east west and also including boulevard de la Madeleine, Boulevard des Capucines and boulevard Montmartre...
(Paris, 2nd arr.). Founded by Jules Brasseur (who had been an actor for over twenty years at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal
Théâtre du Palais-Royal
The Théâtre du Palais-Royal is a 750 seat theatre at 38, rue Montpensier in Paris. In 1637 Cardinal Richelieu began work on a theatre on the east wing of the Palais-Royal building, to break the theatre monopoly of the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and it was opened in 1641...
) in collaboration with Mme Michaux (director of the Théâtre Royal du Parc
Théâtre Royal du Parc
The Théâtre Royal du Parc is a theatre at 3, Rue de la Loi in Brussels, on the edge of the Parc de Bruxelles facing the Federal Parliament...
in Brussels), the new theatre was built on the site of the old Fantaisies-Parisiennes, which had been inaugurated in 1864 and in 1875 completely rebuilt in a more convenient and carefully redecorated fashion as the Folies-Ollier. This incarnation of the Théâtre des Nouveautés was demolished in 1911 to allow the construction of the rue des Italiens.
Present theatre (boulevard Poissonnière)
The current Théâtre des Nouveautés was established in 1921 at 24 boulevard Poissonnière, (Paris, 9th arr.) under the leadership of Benoît-Léon Deutsch in collaboration with Gilbert Dupé. Built by the architect Adolf Tiers with 585 seats, the hall was inaugurated on 21 April 1921 with the play La journée des surprises ("The Day of Surprises") by Jean Bouchor. The programming was devoted to operettas and comedies. Gilbert Dupé succeeded Benoît-Léon Deutsch from 1961 to 1973. Denise Moreau-Chantegris took over in September 1973, and in 2010 Pascal Legros became the director of the theatre.Recent productions
- 2009: Un oreiller … ou trois? ("One pillow … or three?") by Ray CooneyRay CooneyRaymond George Alfred Cooney, OBE is an English playwright and actor. His biggest success, Run for Your Wife, lasted nine years in London's West End and is its longest-running comedy. He has had 17 of his plays performed there....
and Gene Stone, originally Why not stay for breakfast? adapted and translated by Stewart Vaughan and Jean-Claude Islert, starring Delphine Depardieu and Paul BelmondoPaul BelmondoPaul Alexandre Belmondo is a French racing driver who raced in Formula One for the March and Pacific Racing teams. He is the son of actor Jean-Paul Belmondo and grandson of sculptor Paul Belmondo... - 2010: Panique au ministère ("Panic at the Ministry") by Jean Franco and Guillaume Mélanie starring Amanda LearAmanda LearAmanda Lear is a French singer, lyricist, composer, painter, TV presenter, actress and novelist....
- 2011: Le gai mariage ("The Gay Marriage") by Gérard Bitton and Michel Munz