In Lausanne, opera has long been an integral part of the cultural scene, embracing the passion for theatre and music from Lausanne’s people.
Lyrical art made its debut in Lausanne in 1755
Since the 18th century, opera has had a prominent place in Lausanne, where many venues welcomed visiting troupes. As in Paris, Grétry, Duni, Montsigny, Rousseau, Gossec, Philidor, Dalayrac, Paisiello, Piccinni, were all famous composers.
Depending on the programme proposed by the visiting troupes after the French Revolution, an audience broader than that of the aristocratic circles finally had the opportunity to see and hear operas shortly after their creation in a 1,100-seat theatre built on the current rue de Langallerie, that was named “La Comédie” or “salle Dupleix”.
Since 1839
Lausanne locals could enjoy Norma, Don Giovanni, La Muette de Portici, Der Freischütz, Fidelio, Robert le diable, La Sonnambula, La Dame Blanche, Le nozze di Figaro, Roméo et Juliette, La Cenerentola, I Capuletti e I Montecchi.
In 1859, the “Comédie” closed and the performances were held at the Casino de Derrière-Bourg, the current location of the Banque Cantonale Vaudoise. Small and cramped, with barely 400 seats and poorly equipped, it could only offer low-end performances.
The people of Lausanne then mobilised to acquire a venue capable of receiving performances from the great repertoire.
Inaugurated on May 10, 1871, it was an “Italian-style” theatre, ornamented by Grasset and decorated by Borschgrave and Bidau, which offered the locals both the classics of the repertoire and modern works. In 1931, a complete restructuring of the theatre began. Original furnishings and decorations gave way to the art-deco style we know it as today. The Casino-Théâtre had made its mark. The Théâtre Municipal was then born!
The reopening, during the spring opera season of 1932, included the formation of three troupes (opera, comedic-opera, operetta) and a choir of forty-two singers. Manuel Roth created the Italian Opera Festival in 1955, then, in 1956, the Lausanne International Festival that was held in the new Beaulieu Auditorium. The opera season in the Théâtre Municipal hall was almost exclusively devoted to operetta.
Beginning in 1971
With the creation of the Théâtre de Vidy and the separation of the Centre Dramatique from the Théâtre Municipal, the Théâtre Municipal was now solely in charge of lyrical and choreographic performances. The year 1972 saw the closing of the Italian Opera Festival; in 1983, Renée Auphan became Director. In 1984 the Fondation du Théâtre Municipal pour l’art musical, lyrique et chorégraphique was founded.
The decision was then made to produce and not merely just host performances. This involved the formation and creation of a permanent technical team, a semi-permanent choir, as well as an arrangement with Lausanne’s orchestras, OCL and Sinfonietta. The Lausanne International Festival was then replaced, in 1984, by a lyrical and choreographic season. Rehearsals and shows would make the Théâtre Municipal a performance venue nine months out of the year. The Opéra de Lausanne was finally born!
Charmed by the Théâtre du Jorat in Mézières, Renée Auphan chose to close its 1985-86 season with Le Couronnement de Poppée. The event went on to become a tradition, and from 1986 onwards, all seasons ended or began at the Théâtre du Jorat, up until 1999.
Renovation work
The Opéra de Lausanne underwent renovation of the technical and administrative parts of the building in May 2010, forcing director Eric Vigié to relocate performances to the Salle Métropole and the Théâtre de Beaulieu.
The renovated Opéra de Lausanne re-opened in October 2012, with state-of-the-art offices, dressing rooms, backstage areas, and stage equipped with the latest technical equipment, enabling it to host and create productions that were previously impossible to perform. Throughout its history, the Opéra de Lausanne has established a very strong identity in the international opera world, where it is known as “the smallest of the great theatres” – a personality that is enthusiastically echoed by artists, the public and the media.
