Théâtre du Châtelet

Théâtre du Châtelet

Location: 1 Place du Châtelet

English translation

"Built in two years by Davioud and inaugurated on August 19, 1862, the Théâtre-Impérial, or Cirque-Impérial, with its 1,800-seat auditorium, was the finest of the Second Empire's great theaters. Its Italian Renaissance façade is adorned with statues representing Drama, Music, Dance and Comedy. Designed for large-scale operettas, the Théâtre du Châtelet had a vast stage and special equipment right from the start. Hortense Schneider, Féodor Chaliapine, Enrico Caruso, Georges Guétary, André Da'ssary, Luis Mariano triumphed here, and Richard Strauss's Salomé, Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, Franz Lehar's works and Francis Lopez's le Chanteur de Mexico and Méditerrainée were staged there for years." (Translated by DeepL)

Background notes

• Jean-Antoine-Gabriel Davioud (1824-1881) was a French architect famous for his contributions to the transformation of Paris during the Second Empire. He worked closely with Baron Haussmann and designed numerous iconic structures, including the Théâtre du Châtelet, the Saint-Michel Fountain, and the old Palais du Trocadéro. Davioud also created much of Paris's characteristic street furniture, such as benches, pavilions, and fountains. 
• The theatre was initially called Théâtre-Impérial or Cirque-Impérial because it was built during the Second Empire under Napoleon III's rule. It was originally constructed for Hippolyte Hostein's equestrian company, the Théâtre Impérial du Cirque, which explains the "Cirque" in its name.
• The Théâtre du Châtelet's twin is the Théâtre de la Ville, which is located directly across from the Théâtre du Châtelet. Both theatres were designed by Gabriel Davioud and constructed between 1860 and 1862 along the quays of the Seine, facing each other across the Place du Châtelet.
• The Théâtre du Châtelet was named after a chatelet or fortress called the Grand Chatelet that was previously located on the site. 
• The Grand Châtelet was a medieval stronghold constructed around 1130 by King Louis VI to defend the Pont au Change and the Île de la Cité, which was the historic center of Paris.
• The fortress was eventually dismantled between 1802 and 1810, and the area was redeveloped into the Place du Châtelet, where the theatre now stands.