It’s the theatre where American icon Josephine Baker
performed in a variety of revues and where Russian dancer and choreographer
Vaslav Nijinsky caused an uproar in 1913 with Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite
of Spring), a ballet set to the music of Igor Stravinsky. The story goes that
the reaction to the ballet was so intense that spectators came to blows – a
battle between those who adored the show and those who despised its
“avant-gardeness”.
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| The concert hall at the theatre. |
Such sensational times may now be the stuff of legend, but
the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées is still putting on exciting and thrilling concerts, with
internationally renowned artists.
The current season
features recitals, concerts by resident and visiting orchestras, chamber music
performances, dance, and famous opera productions, among other events. Earlier in
November, the illustrious Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra played to a
packed house, with the musicians and French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet
receiving enthusiastic applause for their virtuosity.
Concert-goers get not only the performance on stage but also
the unique atmosphere of a theatre rich in the history of France’s capital
city. The current location on Avenue Montaigne was at the time of the theatre’s construction (1911 to 1913) quite a different place from the street of luxury brands that it is
today.
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| Yuri Temirkanov, conductor, The Saint Petersbourg Philharmonic Orchestra |
According to a theatre historian, this area was on the
“periphery of Paris” back then, close to the red-light district, so
prospective concert-goers were not at all impressed when the site was acquired
by founder Gabriel Astruc, a man of various professions including journalist.
The first drawings of the building were thought to be too “Germanic”
(on the eve of World War I), so the originally contracted architect, the
Belgian Henry Clemens van de Velde, was soon replaced, while observers wondered
if the project would ever get off the ground. His successor was the
Brussels-born French architect Auguste Perret, who with his brothers decided on
simple clean lines, a striking departure from ornate theatres such as the
Palais Garnier. Also brought in were the artists Antoine Bourdelle – who
created a bas relief for the façade and frescoes for the atrium – and Maurice
Denis, who painted the ceiling of the main concert hall.
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| A view of the theatre's foyer. |
Even the latter was not without controversy, as Denis
depicted members of his family for the portrayals of mythological scenes, including a nude picture of his second wife among the characters; she was
recognizable to concert-goers of the time and is still clearly visible on the
domed ceiling.
All this added to chatter about the theatre, which was
inaugurated in 1913 and later came to be considered Paris’ first Art Deco
building – although that movement didn’t really come into being until the
1920s. The fact that Astruc’s dream was built of reinforced concrete signified a
remarkable achievement as well, and that sense of "solidity" was important in uncertain
times.
Art was also an essential part of the theatre’s interior
design, and the foyer still contains the works of female artist Jacqueline
Marval, who produced a series of paintings based on the Greek story of Daphnis
and Chloe. Meanwhile, though now faded, the frescoes of Bourdelle continue to evoke a
certain ambience in the atrium, where one can sip champagne or wine while
waiting for the show to begin.
As for real-life pictures, concert-goers can sign up for a
tour and get to see original posters and press photos of “La Baker”, Nijinsky
and other stars who have played a part in the history of this Paris institution.
The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées has partnered with WICE to
offer discounts to members. Below are the details for shows in December and January.
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