Palais Garnier inaugurated as home of the Paris Opera
- When
- 1874–1875
- Where
- Palais Garnier
- Episodes
- 2
The Palais Garnier, a 1,979-seat opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in Paris, was formally inaugurated on 5 January 1875 as the home of the Paris Opera. The occasion was a lavish gala performance attended by Marshal MacMahon, the Lord Mayor of London, and King Alfonso XII of Spain, following the loss of the company's previous Salle Le Peletier home to fire in 1873.
Episodes
- Pre-inauguration Tests
Acoustical tests and ballet performances occurred in late 1874 to prepare the new auditorium for its official opening.
- Formal Inauguration Gala
A lavish gala performance marked the formal opening of the Palais Garnier on 5 January 1875, attended by international dignitaries.
Background and detail
Pre-inauguration. In 1874, Garnier and his team worked feverishly to complete the building. Acoustical tests were conducted in October and December, attended by officials and press. The Paris Opera Ballet performed on the stage in December, and the famous chandelier was lit for the first time shortly after, preparing the venue for its formal opening.
Inauguration. The theatre was formally inaugurated on 5 January 1875 with a lavish gala performance attended by Marshal MacMahon, the Lord Mayor of London, and King Alfonso XII of Spain. Initially referred to as le nouvel Opéra de Paris, the building soon became known as the Palais Garnier, in acknowledgment of its extraordinary opulence and Charles Garnier's designs. In 1875 the Paris Opera occupied this new home.
People involved
- Charles Garnier · Architect
- Marshal MacMahon · Attendee
- Lord Mayor of London · Attendee
- King Alfonso XII of Spain · Attendee
Sources
- Palais Garnier Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-30
- Paris Opera Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-03
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.