To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of the Opéra Garnier in Paris, the institution is organizing a series of events throughout 2025 to showcase the building in all its splendor.
On January 5, 1875, after 15 years of construction, the building designed by architect Charles Garnier was inaugurated with great fanfare by French President Mac Mahon.
Garnier, 35, was little known when he was chosen in 1860 in an architectural competition organized by Napoleon III. The young architect beat out such great names as Viollet-le-Duc and presented his project after a tour of European capitals to study theaters.
With a capacity of 2,156 seats, the Opéra Garnier was then considered the largest auditorium in the world. The inauguration was a triumph and everyone praised the architectural talent of Charles Garnier, who surrounded himself with the best craftsmen, painters and sculptors of the time.
The Palais Garnier, which was listed in 1923, will undergo major renovations beginning in the summer of 2027 and lasting at least two years.
