Origins of the Opéra-Comique

Founded by Catherine Vondrebeck at the end of the reign of Louis XIV, the Opéra-Comique began as a traveling company before gaining official recognition in 1762.

Evolution of the genre

During its early seasons, the restrictions imposed by the two royal theaters, the Opéra and the Comédie-Française, forced the company to constantly reinvent its performances, in front of an enthusiastic audience. The opéra-comique thus became the emblematic genre of the Enlightenment era, moving from farce to sentimental comedy, from recycling popular songs to original compositions, before producing masterpieces by Bizet, Offenbach, Massenet and many others in the 19th century.

New theatrical production

Léo Cohen-Paperman and Émilien Diard-Detœuf have created a theatrical production titled La Fabuleuse Histoire de l’Opéra Comique, which recounts the three-century history of the Opéra-Comique in comedy and music. The show features a constantly moving set and includes the behind-the-scenes of creation and the secrets of success, while playing with collective memory.

Production details

The production includes music by Dauvergne, Gréty, Bizet, Offenbach, Delibes and French pop songs. The libretto is by Émilien Diard-Detœuf, with musical supervision by Louis Langrée and historical advice from Agnès Terrier. The set design is by Hernán Peñuela, costumes by Manon Naudet, and lighting by Léa Maris. Sophie Bricaire is the assistant to the director.

Touring venues

The production is by the Opéra-Comique and is staged at various venues across France, including TAP – Scène nationale de Grand Poitiers, Les 3T, Scène conventionnée de Châtellerault, Scène Nationale d’Albi-Tarn, Théâtre Olympia, Archachon, Scène Nationale du Sud-Aquitain, Bayonne, Théâtre de Gascogne, Mont-de-Marsan, Théâtre Ducouneau, Agen, Théâtre des Quatre Saisons, Gradignan, L’Odyssée, Scène conventionnée, Périgueux, Scène Nationale Le Trident, Cherbourg, Théâtre municipal de Fontainebleau, Les 2 Scènes, Scène Nationale de Besançon, Théâtre Alexandre Dumas, Saint-Germain-En-Laye, Théâtre Impérial de Compiègne, Opéra de Rennes, La Passerelle, Scène nationale de Saint Brieuc, and others. The show runs for 1 hour and 40 minutes.