Theatre Construction in Eighteenth-Century France: The Opera of the Palais-Royal in Paris and its Impact on Theatre Construction

Abstract

Starting from the second half of the 18th century, theatre structures undergo constructional upturn, first assisted by social conditions and gradually supported by technical and scientific progress. In France, theatre construction redefines theatre design influenced by financial and sociological factors, but mainly by regulations and techniques ensuring safety and stability. During this effervescent period, Victor Louis designs a breakthrough structure, the Opera of the Palais-Royal in Paris, which is an early example of iron implementation. The theatre’s inauguration coincides with the break of the French Revolution, preventing it from reaping the accredited rewards. Furthermore, the theatre has not been conserved in its original form. The Opera of the Palais-Royal is a milestone both in theatre construction and in iron implementation and has been acknowledged as a major structure by contemporary scholars. This research focuses on historical analysis of the Opera of the Palais-Royal in Paris and aims to reconstruct missing information using archival research and primary bibliography. The goal is to present the reasons for the transition to iron for this particular structure, the original form of the design and its impact on posterior theatre design. Furthermore, the article aims to investigate the figure of Victor Louis and his role in the implementation of a new material.