Classical opera and dance concert halls France

Barely 100 years old and already this theatre has a rich and abundant history! From 1913, it was a real little bomb. First of all, its appearance: nothing traditional, Art Nouveau inside, outside, everywhere. Concrete structure and Art Nouveau architecture are the result of a meeting between Auguste Perret, architect, magnate and concrete theorist, and Henry Van de Velde, innovative architect. Antoine Bourdelle is the author of the travertine facade. Then, the Nabis are exhibited inside: Maurice Denis, Ker-Xavier Roussel, Jacqueline Marval and Edouard Vuillard made interior design an avant-garde piece of early 20th century art. It was inaugurated in April 1913 with Claude Debussy, Paul Dukas and Vincent d'Indy. But it was in May that he caused a scandal by presenting Igor Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps. Since then, the theatre has remained faithful to its avant-garde personality in the creative field of dance. Since then, the theatre has offered a wide programme of events throughout the year in its three rooms, where the decoration, which has remained intact, is in itself a show.

The Place de la Comédie is home to the Opéra national de Bordeaux. It's a central location where operas and ballets are performed every week, and which offers a highly eclectic program, mixing classical and contemporary, comedy and tragedy, by companies from Bordeaux and beyond. As soon as you enter this institution, the magic happens and you feel like you're in another world... Preferential rates of up to 50% off are reserved for young people.

Majestic, sumptuous, time passes without tarnishing the theatre of La Sinne. It's a place from another era. Artists and the public are invited to sit in a setting with velvet seats, red and golden balconies, in an Italian theatre decor. The hall offers impeccable acoustics and is the venue for all kinds of shows: boulevard theatre, performances by the Rhine Opera, concerts by the Conservatory of Music, dance and drama. Going there means spending a magical moment and enjoying a varied programme for all audiences.

Recently installed in a former shopping mall in the center of Mulhouse, the new conservatory has breathed new life into these sleepy neighborhoods. The elegantly refurbished building has all the facilities needed to pass on the love of music. With a 300-seat auditorium and 7,000 m² of classrooms for over 100 disciplines, the new conservatory is ready to welcome budding musicians and others.

The Zenith needs no introduction! Capable of hosting the biggest shows for all ages and tastes, it's a must-see. Inaugurated on June 19, 1993, its hall attracts 250,000 spectators a year, and can accommodate concerts and events from 900 to 7,000 people. In 2024, the classical masterpiece Swan Lake, Jeff Panacloc and M Pokora have already performed here, but Slimane, Patrick Bruel, Shaka Ponk and Gims are also sure to be in the spotlight. It's THE place for all artists and all genres!

Since its creation in 1794, the Opéra de Tours has established itself as a national opera house. In its splendid Italian-style auditorium, director Laurent Campellone and Patricia Petibon, godmother of the 2023-2024 season, present women fighting against their destiny and diktats. Other news: a partnership with Milan's prestigious Teatro alla Scala; and the creation of an "Orchestre Populaire de l'Opéra de Tours". What's more, the Opéra has been declared a historic monument - all the more reason to go and see it!

Built in 1864, this superb octagonal brick building, once the grain market of Toulouse, has become a renowned concert hall and a Mecca for classical music in Europe. The Halle is home to the National Orchestra of the Capitole, conducted since 2008 by Tugan Sokhiev, which delights the public throughout the year with its performances. The programme of "great performers" also invites artists and orchestras from the four corners of the musical world. Clever tip: if you are not familiar with classical music and want to learn something new, enjoy the Sunday concert at a low price, especially for under 27s, teenagers and young children.

In the heart of the town centre of Toulon this historic monument was built by architect Léon Feuchère and inaugurated in 1862. There are two entrances, one on the boulevard of Strasbourg, dominated by the six muses of the sculptor Marius Mountain, the other on the Victor Hugo square, commonly known as the place de l'Opéra. In addition to the majestic portico and columns, two allegorical statues represent Comedy and Lyric poetry, performed by another Toulon sculptor, Louis-Joseph Daumas.

Entering the opera gives the impression of entering a sacred temple of Art! Inside, everything is gilded, garnet velvet and sculptures… Top point of the main hall, the ceiling painted by Jean-Louis Duveau. The spectator was projected at Classic time in the midst of all these colorful decorations. For music lovers, this opera has exceptional acoustics!

Opened in 1963, it is a modular room with 1 484 seats (939 in reduced room) which hosts approximately 80 performances and 55 000 spectators each season. The Limoges Opera house is a public Institution offering lyrical, musical and choreographic programming dedicated to the repertoire, creation and diversity of the public. Its place, Grand-Théâtre, is also, by its central position in the heart of the city, its capacity and technical potential, a popular tool by organizers of shows and events in Limoges. Each season, it welcomes cultural partners such as the Festival des Francophonies in Limousin, Sirque de Nexon, the Jazz Éclats Festival of Enamel or the performances of several local programmers or broadcasters. It's always a little intimidating to go back to an opera for the first time, but let's know that it's a Maison house very easily because it opens its doors to all audiences, from early age, and free, for visits, rehearsals, to discover not only a place but also a work, an instrument… and all the teams who are working. work with their own specialty. As for the cost to attend a show, among the various subscription formulas, the many discount rates, passports for young people and students, you should find a suitable economic solution!

Radio France, which brings together all public radio stations, plays an important role in the world of music. Four groups depend on it: the Orchestre national de France conducted by Daniele Gatti, the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France conducted by the Finnish Mikko Franck, and the Maîtrise de Radio France, conducted by Sofi Jeannin. The Radio France choir is the partner of the other three groups. The latter perform in several halls in the capital and elsewhere, but also in the walls of the "round house". This amazing building has just been completely renovated. The new auditorium is a concert hall with 1,461 seats, installed in balconies and distributed around the stage and musicians. The spectator is never more than 17 m from the stage. The acoustics are fabulous. Another room: Studio 104, with its 856 seats, welcomes all musical genres and major programmes from Radio France channels. Finally, studios 105 (237 seats) and 106 (137 seats) are dedicated to public broadcasts and more intimate concerts. Every Saturday, guided tours allow you to discover the history of the round house.

This beautiful opera, every year, plays the great lyrical works of the repertoire, as well as operettas, ballets and theatre. Completely renovated and restored inside and inside, it is undoubtedly the most beautiful of all provincial theatres.

For more than 100 years, the famous Salle Poirel has been a vibrant part of downtown Nancy. A mythical cultural venue in the city since 1888, a visit to this architectural jewel both inside and out is a must. In addition to a 1,000^m2 exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art and design, classical, jazz and opera concerts take place throughout the year, as well as comedy and dance shows and various meetings. Key venue of the Nancy Jazz Pulsations festival, it is in October that the hall is most alive.

The Tram is a third place composed of three distinct spaces: a municipal music conservatory with a 120-seat auditorium, a youth and extracurricular reception area and finally a performance hall. The rich and varied programming ranges from one-man shows, including several comedians, to theater and concerts. The Petit Tram offers fun musical shows to awaken children (from 5 years old) to the sounds of different instruments. The literary aperitifs put forward stories and portraits on a theme. The actors of the DEST theater company lend their voices to paint a society that resembles us.

Clermont Auvergne Opera offers each season an anthology of pieces, recitals and operas by both known and unknown composers. Oratorios, exhibitions, works from the repertoire, creations... all these shows take place in the setting of the Opera-Theatre. The programming is very varied and prestigious. Clermont Auvergne Opéra is also dedicated to the production of operas, including sets and costumes. Every two years, it organises the Clermont International Singing Competition which highlights young talent. Far from elitism, he shares his shows with all audiences. As proof, many rates are offered as well as subscriptions so that you don't miss anything during the year.

Founded in 1981, the Orchestre National d'Auvergne has toured extensively in France and around the world, and has recorded more than 30 albums while faithfully assuring the classical music scene of Clermont-Ferrand and Auvergne. Today, this chamber orchestra is composed of more than twenty French and foreign musicians. Since 2021, Thomas Zehetmair is the principal conductor. Surrounded by an international artistic direction, he pursues this spirit of openness, approaching the baroque period as well as contemporary creations. It's a pleasure!

The Quartet consists of two violins - Elzbieta Glagys and Anne Verger - of a viola - Baudime Jam - and a cello - Laurence Picard. Founded in 1997, he gave over 450 concerts in France, Europe and the United States. From October to May, he organizes a season of seven concerts on Clermont-Ferrand at the home of the Elephant. The opportunity to discover the intimate and convivial universe of chamber music around a repertoire ranging from classicism to contemporary times.

Like every year, between July and August, during thirteen wonderful evenings, you will be able to enjoy four well put together operas at the Baugé Opera Festival. Young promising singers, professional conductors and choirs participate. In a staging conceived for the festival, you will vibrate with Verdi's Un ballo in maschera, Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana, Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortilèges or Smetana's La Fiancée vendue. All this in a bucolic setting where talent and charm are perfectly matched, not to be missed!

Apart from the offices and the Christian life, the parish Notre-Dame-du-Mont regularly organises outings (type hikes, pilgrimages…) and various concerts, thanks to a formidable acoustics: classical, but also jazz and folk music. Let's remember that in 1839 Frédéric Chopin in person pianota for the funeral of a friend during his passage to Marseille. At Christmas, the atmosphere is particularly moving.

The name of this impasse goes like a glove. Under the leadership of the conductor Gilles Hubert, 65 passionate people multiply the rehearsals and benefits of a rich musical repertoire: From Gounod to Unattainable, from Mozart to Rossini via Wagner or Offenbach, it's always the same pleasure to sing. Farigoule choirs testify to their devotion to a comic opera during the festivals of Nîmes or Alès, but they know how to gorger their spirituality songs when they celebrate the Provençal or Russian Orthodox masses. The group, assidu and soudé, is open to newcomers who would be willing to mix voices and enthusiasm in their choirs.

Created on September^1, 1978 as part of the choreographic decentralization, the company has seen several great choreographers at its head. Since 2011, Petter Jacobsson has taken over the direction of the company to offer classical pieces and creations. Choreographers of great renown and young talents come from all over the world to Nancy, to transmit and create with the dancers of the ballet, all of them classically trained, but open and passionate about contemporary dance.

Since 1946, Marcel Adrien invited musicians from the Conservatory for chamber music sessions, giving birth to the association. The association, animated by volunteers since its origin, proposes an eclectic and quality program, which reflects an unceasing dynamism. Thanks to its musical richness, it is natural to want to support it by encouraging the public to come and see the artists at the Salle Poirel.

This hall dedicated to classical music, a 300-seat auditorium installed in the former chapel of the Minimes convent founded in the 17th century, is located in the heart of old Grenoble, in one of the oldest streets. We attend exclusively classical concerts. It is also the headquarters of the Musiciens du Louvre - directed by Marc Minkowsky. In this unique place steeped in history, everyone can discover a music that is reputedly less accessible than today's music, with a very particular sound aesthetic. The Musiciens du Louvre perform on the biggest national and international stages, notably at the Opéra Garnier, and the people of Grenoble can also enjoy their performances.

The Orchestre Symphonique Région Centre has its home in Tours, at the Opera. But it also travels throughout the year throughout the region to broadcast classical music (or less classical). Since the arrival of Laurent Campellone at the direction of the Opera of Tours in 2020, the orchestra benefits from renowned guests at the baton. Operas, operettas, symphonies, chamber music, contemporary music, young audience... Everything is allowed! And for you too: come and meet the musicians in Tours, during the heritage days or the Tous à l'Opéra day.

Founded in 1990 by Martin Gester, the Music Parliament brings together singers, instrumentalists and soloists. His musical repertoire is based on a classical and baroque register. As a result, the establishment has developed a partnership with the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles. Varying between creation and re-reading of the classical repertoire, the structure has made its mark on many occasions through the interpretation of the works of famous musicians such as Bach, Mozart, Shobert, Charpentier or Scarlatti. The most: a large number of concerts are organised throughout France and Europe. Several discs are also available on site.

The Grand Théâtre, together with the auditorium, composes the Opera Dijon ensemble. This hall, completed in 1828, is quite simply magnificent with a capacity of 1,000 spectators. Outside, eight majestic columns welcome you and invite you to enter this temple of the arts, which was last renovated in 2005. The chandelier that adorns the ceiling of the hall alone weighs 700 kg, and like all the chandeliers in the building, it is made of Murano crystal. The paintings are also superb, and the foyer is well worth a visit. The hall has been home to all the great works of the classical repertoire and French theatre. A magnificent place of Dijon's heritage!

With its hundred or so musicians, the Orchestre National du Capitole, under the artistic direction of Tugan Sokhiev since 2005, is one of the best French orchestras. It performs the symphonic season at the Halle aux Grains as well as the lyrical season at the Théâtre du Capitole with a rich program all year long, and participates in numerous tours throughout Occitania as well as internationally, while being a guest of numerous festivals.

Located on the hill of Villeboeuf, the Opéra de Saint-Etienne is an establishment whose primary vocation is to offer a lyrical season. Rare Opera in France to have its own set design and costume design workshops, it produces and co-produces new operas every season. The Opera also fulfils a vital mission for young audiences, offering a dedicated, rich and varied season, and also gives access to a programme for all audiences with symphonic and chamber music concerts, piano recitals, dance performances.... For a detailed calendar of events, visit the website!

With its resolutely modern, even industrial look (steel, raw concrete and glass), the young festive and cultural hall of La Quintaine, with its beautiful acoustics, offers an eclectic and atypical program that is dedicated to family discoveries. The recipe for a great program? Great headliners, a few evenings of song, humor, dance, a lot of theater and especially a lot of circus. This 340-seat hall can also be used for exhibitions, dinner dances, bingo events, etc. During the year, there are several shows (Bien-être et nature, Vitisaveurs...).

Director Paul-Emile Fourny performs Opera Programming in the interest of openness and discovery. For example, you can watch works from the classical repertoire, but also contemporary creations, children's operas, young choreographers evenings and many other original productions.

Formerly a spinning mill built in 1873, it has now become an attractive venue for a wide variety of artistic events. Theater, cinema, concerts, festivals, Opéra en Cévennes, conferences and exhibitions liven up the evenings in Lasalle. There are workshops and courses in drawing and clowning, as well as traditional dance evenings, and of course the Doc-Cévennes festival has a home here too. With its small bar, La Filature promises cultural outings that are sophisticated, entertaining and to suit all tastes.

A group of eighteen permanent professional musicians covers all periods of the classical repertoire. Its mission: to bring together artistic worlds to better create, disseminate and educate all audiences. Forget your preconceptions and discover its performances. There is nothing like a concert to receive and feel the music. Program available on the website, no less than 300 performances (travel throughout the region) are planned per season.

The Arcadium is a major concert venue for national and international artists. Formerly the Hall des Expos, the Arcadium came into being after titanic renovation work carried out over 10 years ago, in compliance with HQE standards, and an investment of 9 million euros. It can host exhibitions, conventions, sports galas and, above all, live shows (some forty a year). It can accommodate up to 3,300 people, with a program combining comedy, dance and music. Dates are already booked for Manu Payet, Gad Elmaleh, Jarry, Ines Reg, Alison Wheeler, Michael Gregorio, Artus and a concert by Alain Souchon, Ours and Pierre Souchon in March 2025.

As every year, the Besançon Orchestra will give seven concerts in the capital city of Leuven. Then he will export his virtuosity throughout the territory, so that all music lovers in the region can enjoy his famous interpretations for their high quality. In the programme the variety is set, one can appreciate major and well-known pieces, but also discover works whose diffusion has remained more restricted.

A recently renovated cinema (from 1960 to 2005), the Mac-Orlan, located in the historic district of Recouvrance, has a concert room for up to 469 people. Managed by the City of Brest, this place opens up to all artistic disciplines, with a dominant focus: dance. The site offers cultural actors in Brest and elsewhere to disseminate their art: theatre, music, cinema and graphic works (with an exhibition room). A partner of several important events in the brestoise life, the Mac Orlan supports, for example, the meetings of the Cinémathèque of Brittany, festivals Oops, DansFabrik, etc. The Mac-Orlan is also involved in the dissemination of the artistic and cultural projects of the inhabitants: it is under excellent conditions that, at every end of the school year, performances of various classes in the city will be found.

Located on the banks of the Saint-Estève lake, this beautiful theatre with its wave-shaped roof, designed by the Barcelona architect Dilmé Fabre, has a capacity of 815 seats and a stage area of 166^m2. Its annual programme is rich and varied. Its architecture and the materials used have been specially designed to optimise acoustic and visual quality, as well as great comfort for the public and the artists. It is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility and has a large free car park.

In 2012, Les Concerts de Marivel celebrated their fortieth musical season. The greatest interpreters join these meetings. Italian baroque music, interpreted by virtuoso orchestras such as the Royal Palace, the musicologists and heads of orchestras such as Jean-Christophe Keck, the work of Offenbach, these concerts bringing together music from all walks of life and of obvious quality. Every season the Concerts of Marivel renew pleasures of high sound.

The Conservatoire Régional du Grand Nancy is a metropolitan institution for the artistic teaching of music, dance and theatre. Classes with flexible music schedules (CHAM) in partnership with the National Education, courses, initiations, teachings, exams, but also auditions, concerts and events. The conservatory works around the awakening of the youngest, teaching, identification and development of young talent. It is a real hub of artistic and educational activities, training, creation and dissemination, and the artistic heart of the metropolis and the region. Programme and practical information on the metropolis' website.

The Ostwald Waterhole is a multicultural place! The programme of shows and concerts for all audiences is vast and particularly diverse: concerts, dances, but also plays are presented throughout the year. The cultural area has two halls: the 250-seat hall with a small stage, while the 580-seat hall is suitable for the big show - tickets can be bought online. Le Point d'eau also offers theatre workshops (for young people and adults), and dance classes for all ages.

The Church of Saint-Ephrem-le-Syriaque, located in the 5ᵉ arrondissement of Paris, is a must-see venue for classical music lovers. Its remarkable acoustics make it a privileged venue for concerts. Recitals are given by talented young artists, all graduates of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. Concerts take place regularly, offering a unique experience for the audience. Located in the Sorbonne district, between Boulevard Saint-Germain and the Panthéon, the Saint-Ephrem-le-Syriaque church is easily accessible by metro, at the Maubert-Mutualité station. Enjoy the unique atmosphere of this historic church and let yourself be carried away by the beauty of its music.

Under the direction of Fayçal Karoui, conductor of international renown, and Frédéric Morando, its artistic director, the Orchestre de Pau has been flourishing since 2002. The symphonic season features one concert program per month (a concerto, a contemporary work, a symphonic piece). The OPPB's mission is not confined to the Palais Beaumont: it performs free of charge in other venues, such as Pau prison, the hospital, the university and with events for children. A commitment to bringing music to as many people as possible.

The acoustics of this Art Deco room are very well-known. With four hundred places, it was built in 1930 on the plans of Auguste Perret, the architect who designed the theatre of the Champs-Elysées. It is used in the activities of the Ecole normale de Musique de Paris, but is also rented for the concert organisation. This is a plateau where many pianists take place. There are also the famous 12-hour concerts every Tuesday, Thursday and some Wednesday from October to May (off school holidays). These concerts are free to discover tomorrow's talents.

Opened in 1907, the Salle Gaveau takes its name from the pianos of the same name. A host of artists soon made the venue a must-see. Bought by Chantal and Jean-Marie Fournier in 1976, the Salle Gaveau was listed as a historic monument in 1992 and subsequently renovated. After renovation, it reopened its doors in 2001. The interior has been restored to its former glory, and the warm golden hue of the decor is very similar to that of its origins. As for the programme, it has been restored to its former glory, with a strong emphasis on classical music.

Le Petit Palais offers over 22 000 square metres a rich collection of works of great diversity: antique bronzes, icons, Flemish and Dutch paintings, tapestries, furniture, porcelain… You will also find a charming small garden surrounded by colonnades, with mosaic basins, and a café where you can spend a relaxing moment. The concerts given here at midday connect classic musicians with other artists from jazz or song. The concept proposed by Arièle Butaux, in perfect conformity with the project, could not stop so much as it met with the visitors. The dialogue between artists from different musical backgrounds and the strong emotion that emerges from each of these meetings on the stage of the auditorium is the living response to the principle of confrontation in the galleries of the museum. Paintings, sculptures and objects of art are highlighted in permanent collections and, in the auditorium, the other arts are at the honour of revealing in a lively and dynamic manner the multiple influences of artistic currents.

Four universities are present in Sorbonne - Paris I, Paris III, Paris IV, Paris V -, as well as the rector of the Paris Academy, the School of charters and the Ecole normale des Hautes Etudes. Concerts are not as frequent as the courses in these famous buildings built at the end of the th century, but still. The association Musique en Sorbonne, created in 1982, organizes a quality concert season and a festival in June. There are various trainings, including the Choir and Orchestre de Paris-Sorbonne, the pre-professional formations associated with the FACULTY of Music and Musicology of the University Paris IV-Sorbonne. Since you cannot enter these high places of education if you are not a student or teacher, concerts represent wonderful opportunities to discover them. The concerts are given in the grand amphitheatre - three thousand squares - and the Richelieu amphitheatre - four hundred and fifty seats - two impressive rooms. The Grand Salon, decorated with Benjamin Constant paintings, is used for small training.

Inaugurated in 2008 and blessed by Pope Benedict XVI, this Catholic cultural centre hosts exhibitions, meetings and theology courses. Concerts are organised on average once a month, and are well worth the effort, as they are performed by top-notch musicians in the magnificent setting of a large nave with ribbed ceilings, or in the large auditorium. Dating back to the ^13th century, the building is a vast medieval stone ship that is a spectacle in itself. Completely renovated, this vestige of the school buildings of the old Latin Quarter comprises a superb Gothic nave with columns and ogives, as well as meeting rooms and an auditorium in the basement and upper floors. A small garden has been created to the left of the forecourt. The restoration work was carried out jointly by Herbé Baptiste, chief architect of the Monuments Historiques, and architect-designer Jean-Michel Wilmotte. The Cistercian-inspired building was built to train young monks from all over Europe. During the French Revolution, it was sold as national property, then successively used as a prison, warehouse, fire station and police boarding school.

Akwaba, this is welcome in Baoulé (Éthnie of Côte d'Ivoire) and since its creation, this highly friendly and fresh place is dedicated to ensuring that this small structure carries its name well. It is well received, and it also welcomes good ideas, good energy and good vibration. At the beginning of a concert with a certain reggae-dubb orientation, Akwaba has evolved well and opened its horizons to offer us beautiful benefits today. Start with its multi-disciplinary and unruly programming combining current music, street arts, dance, theatre, cinema or exhibition when it is not a good contest for bowls or gardening!

Akwaba also acts outside its walls and runs workshops in prisons for example. A good example to follow is their community garden and their desire for sustainable development, which makes it possible to rent its cup in a way that does not pollute too much on the evening evenings or that the rain water is recovered. The team is very dynamic, very friendly and we welcome here one of its truly impossible members, André Courage, who is no more, or less than the official cat of Akwaba. The matou of the Matouses somehow…

Since 1984, the Nancy Symphony and Opera Orchestra has been offering a quality program every year, always more surprising. At its head is Rani Calderon, who leads several concerts throughout the season. The other part of the program is in the hands of other talented guest conductors. The orchestra of about sixty musicians performs either at the Opera House or during annual concerts. On five Sundays of the year, it gives chamber music aperitif concerts