Théâtre Louvois Explained

The Théâtre Louvois (pronounced as /fr/) or Salle Louvois (pronounced as /fr/) was a theatre located at what is today 8 rue de Louvois in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. Inaugurated in 1791 and closed in 1825, it was used by the Théâtre-Italien from 20 March 1819 to 8 November 1825.^[1] Gioachino Rossini became Director of Music on 1 December 1824.^[2]

History

• 1791–1794: building by Francescal on plans by Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart; inauguration on 16 August; known as the Théâtre de Louvois or Théâtre de la rue de Louvois up to January 1794, under the direction of Michel-André Delomel^[3]
• 1794–1796: known as the Théâtre des Amis de la Patrie from 13 January 1794 to December 1796^[4]
• 1796: direction Mlle Raucourt, as the Théâtre Français de la rue de Louvois' from 25 December 1796 to 10 September 1797^[3]
• 1798: direction César Ribié, as the Théâtre d'Émulation from 17 April to 31 December^[3]
• 1799: used by the players of the Théâtre de l'Odéon from 20 March to 12 April,^[5] under the direction Louis-Benoît Picard
• 1799–1801: known as the Théâtre des Troubadours from 1 August 1799 – 20 April 1801^[6]
• 1801–1808: used again from 5 May 1801 – 12 June 1808 by the players of the Théâtre de l'Odéon^[7] under Picard, then Alexandre Duval
• 1804: becomes known as the Théâtre de l'Impératrice until June 1808, when the players returned to the new Odéon, taking the name with them^[8]
• 1807: acquired in December by the state for use by the Paris Opéra as rehearsal space and for concerts, including some by the Concerts Spirituels^[9]
• 1808: closed by order of Napoléon, it then served as a storage room for the Opéra, at that time performing in the Théâtre des Arts located just across the rue de Louvois from the Salle Louvois; communication between the two buildings was via an iron bridge over the rue de Louvois
• 1811–1812: an annex was constructed for the storage of scenery^[9]
• 1819–1825: primary venue of the Théâtre-Italien^[10]
• 1821: after the closing of the Salle Favart, the theatre was used as an opera house by the Opéra, while the company was awaiting the completion of the Salle Le Peletier.^[11] The company gave a concert on 25 May and performed operas on 1 and 15 June. Both opera performances included Rousseau's Le devin du village, and the second also featured the premiere of Adalbert Gyrowetz's divertissement La fête hongroise.^[12]
• 1825: closing of the theatre
• 1827: order issued to remove all stored scenery for the sale of the theatre^[13]
• 1899: demolition

See also

• List of former or demolished entertainment venues in Paris

Bibliography

• Donnet, Alexis; Orgiazzi, J. (1821). Architectonographie des théâtres de Paris, plates volume, plate 12. Paris: Didot l'ainé. Scanned by Google Books. Credit: Princeton University Library.
• Hillairet, Jacques (1985). Dictionnaire historique des rues de Paris, vol. 2, 8th edition, Les Éditions de minuit, 1985,
• Johnson, Janet (1992). "Paris, 4: 1789–1870 (v) Théâtre-Italien", vol. 3,, in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, edited by Stanley Sadie. New York: Grove, . Also at Oxford Music Online (subscription required).
• Lasalle, Albert de (1875). Les Treize Salles de l'Opéra, librairie Sartorius, 1875 (chapter X: Salle Favart (1820),)
• Pitou, Spire (1983). The Paris Opéra: An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets, Composers, and Performers. Genesis and Glory, 1671–1715. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.
• Wild, Nicole (1989). Dictionnaire des théâtres parisiens au XIXe siècle: les théâtres et la musique. Paris: Aux Amateurs de livres., (paperback).

Notes and References

1. Wild 1989, .
2. Wild 1989, p. 204.
3. Wild 1989, .
4. Wild 1989, .
5. 1799 (Wild 1989, p. 287).
6. Wild 1989, .
7. Wild 1989, pp. 230, 287.
8. Wild 1989, p. 193.
9. Wild 1989, p. 232.
10. Johnson 1992; Wild 1989, p. 232.
11. Wild 1989, p. 299.
12. Pitou 1983, p. 44.
13. [Nicole Wild]