Opéra-Comique, Opera company in Paris, France
The Opéra-Comique stands inside the Salle Favart building in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris and holds 1100 seats. The auditorium is decorated with red velvet and gilded balconies, while the stage accommodates both orchestra and performers in rotating productions.
Catherine Baron and Gautier de Saint-Edme founded the institution in 1714 as a traveling company that performed at different locations. The current Salle Favart became its permanent home in the 19th century after several moves and fires.
The name comes from the French form of comic opera, a genre where sung numbers alternate with spoken scenes. Visitors still experience this combination of theater and song during performances at the Salle Favart today.
Performances take place throughout the year, with a program mixing older works and contemporary stagings. The entrance is located on Place Boieldieu, and the building is accessible from several metro stations nearby.
The house premiered major works like Bizet's Carmen in 1875 and Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande in 1902. Both premieres faced mixed reactions from audiences before becoming established classics.
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