The Théâtre de l’Opéra de Lyon, in the heart of the city’s historic centre, was built in the 19th century by Chenevard and Pollet. Between 1986 and 1993, the renovation project was carried out by the architect Jean Nouvel.
Nouvel preferred to preserve neoclassical elements in order to maintain the urban harmony of the area. The façades, the arcades, the foyer and its gold leaf ceilings and walls are preserved as a symbol of the 19th century. Nouvel created a glazed barrel vault, tripling the original volume of the building, which today has become an architectural icon of the city of Lyon and an example of the perfect coexistence of neoclassical and modern architecture.
The building has two halls: the Grande Salle, with 1,100 seats, and the amphitheatre, with 200 seats. The Italian-style Grande Salle is dominated by the colour black, making it a contemporary hall suitable for opera, but also for large-scale conferences, plays and concerts.
