General Information

The Opéra-Comique is a prestigious Parisian opera company. It has its own theatre with a capacity of around 1,250 seats, known as the Salle Favart, and stages 7 or 8 operas or opéra comiques, with complementary concerts, recitals and exhibitions, each season.

Opéra comique – the Genre: Highlights

Opéra comique is a genre of opera in which arias are interspersed with spoken dialogue. Opéra comique isn’t necessarily comic. Think of ‘Carmen’, possibly the most famous work in the genre. In time the differences between opera and opéra comique faded.

History and Background: Highlights

The Opéra-Comique emerged around 1714 from various popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. Unified by constrictions from official theatrical institutions, the troupes formed a single company and in a short time, procured a theatre. As of 2005, after three centuries of highs and lows, it is registered as one of French national theatres.

History and Background: Explained

Since the Middle Ages theatrical entertainments were performed at seasonal Parisian fairs, especially the Foire Saint-Germain and the Foire Saint-Laurent, many of them light in nature. They enjoyed the freedom from the scrutiny of royal censors and included farces, tightrope acts, acrobatics and marionettes. They were also accompanied by popular music. The audiences reflected the city streets, bringing together all levels of society in democratic appreciation of coarse humour. When by the end of the 17th century the Italian players at the Hôtel de Bourgogne were banished from Paris for performing their comedy “La fausse prude” (‘The False Prude’), which satirised the king’s mistress, Madame de Maintenon, the fair theatres quickly adopted much of their repertoire, which included parodies of operas and tragedies. However, King Louis XIV’s Académie royale de Musique (popularly known as the Opéra and established in 1672), proved unwilling to face competition and the use of music by fair troupes was significantly curbed. Following warnings from the police, the troupes at the Foire Saint-Germain and the Foire Saint-Laurent employed various tactics of evading the notice of watchful censors. Fairground entrepreneurs resorted to giving silent performances with the actors’ speeches displayed to the audience on large cue cards, or the musicians would play a popular tune, and the spectators would sing, while the actors remained silent.
Such machinations, however crafty, couldn’t suffice in the long run. In 1713 and 1714 several of the fair troupes obtained the right to perform light comedies interspersed with songs and dances, as well as to utilise sets and theatre machines. They were also given the right to use the name ‘Opéra-Comique’. The first work officially given that designation was ‘Télémaque’ (a parody of the opera by André Cardinal Destouches), which was originally performed by the Théâtre de la Foire Saint-Germain in 1715. The words were by Alain-René Lesage, the music was arranged by Jean-Claude Gillier (that is to say, he reinterpreted existing music), and the orchestra consisted of 15 players. This series of events marks the beginning of the long and increasingly prestigious history of the Opéra-Comique.
The Opéra-Comique staged the first performances of such important French works as Berlioz’s “The Damnation of Faust”, Bizet’s “Carmen”, Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann”, Delibes’s “Lakmé”, Debussy’s “Pelléas et Mélisande” and Ravel’s “L’heure espagnole”.
Interestingly, the current Salle Favart is actually the third one. Two previous venues, both named after Charles Simon Favart, a meritorious dramatist, fell prey to fire.