The Opéra de Monte-Carlo, also known as the Salle Garnier is an opera house designed by Charles Garnier in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Garnier is well known for designing and constructing the Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier) which formed one of the central elements of Baron Haussmann’s scheme in the renovation of Paris between 1853 and 1870. The Salle Garnier is much smaller than the Palais Garnier seating only 524, compared to the 1,900 of the Palais Garnier but equally is as grand as its Parisian counterpart. The construction of the Salle Garnier was much shorter than the Palais Garnier and took eight and a half months with work commencing in March 1878 and the inaugural performance taking place on 25 January 1879. This is in direct contrast to Paris, where construction took fourteen years between 1861 and 1875.

Originally never intended to be an opera house, but a place for small orchestral performances, the Opéra de Monte-Carlo was soon appropriated for opera and was remodelled between 1898 and 1899 by Henri Schmit for this purpose. The majority of the works undertaken was to the stage house to make the stage suitable for theatrical use by enabling a basic flying system to be installed and increased stage depth. Schmit was an established architect, having designed and built a number of theatres in France and Monaco. The first opera performed there was Robert Planquette’s Le Chevalier Gaston on 8 February 1879, followed by three additional operas within the first season.

The Opéra de Monte-Carlo came into existence with Prince Charles III of Monaco noted the lack of cultural diversions within Monaco during the 1870s. His initial plan was to include a concert hall as part of a casino. The building has subsequently been refurbished between 2004 and 2005.

Sources/Images
Photograph of Salle Garnier Auditorium by Jean Gilletta (1856-1933), 1879. Image in the Public Domain.

Zietz, Karyl Lynn, Opera Houses, First Edition (Washington DC, USA: John Wiley & Sons, 1996)

Contributor
Mark Scott