Charles-Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was the first president of France 1848-1852.
In 1852, he organised a coup d'état against himself. The coup was successful. As a result of this coup d'état, he became Emperor of the French.
He called himself Napoleon III. His empire lasted more than fifteen years (1852-1870).
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Napoleon III wanted Paris to have a new opera house.
A competition was arranged. There were two rounds of bidding.
The winner of the second and final round was Charles Garnier, a young architect who had little experience.
He was chosen, because Napoleon liked his proposal.
Construction of the new opera house was a long and difficult project. Since it was so long and so difficult, it was also very expensive.
Construction began in 1861.
It was completed in 1875.
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The work was not yet completed when a war between Prussia and France broke out in 1870.
During this war, the emperor was captured by the Prussian army.
Napoleon III became a prisoner of war.
His empire collapsed.
Napoleon was allowed to leave the country and to go into exile. He moved to the UK where he died in 1873.
Napoleon III never returned to France. He never saw the completion of his grand project in Paris.
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Many artists and engineers were involved in the construction of the new opera house.
Charles Garnier was the manager of the whole project. He did not design and build all the different parts of the building, but he was in charge of the whole work.
When Napoleon was defeated, his empire collapsed.
A republic was proclaimed.
The new republic tried to continue the war against Prussia, but the French forces were defeated again in 1871.
During the war, the partially completed building was used as a hospital and as a warehouse.
The building suffered some damage during the war when it was used for different purposes.
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Construction was interrupted by the war, but once the war was over, the new republican government decided that the work should be resumed, even though Emperor Napoleon III and his empire had disappeared.
They said the opera house should be completed according to the original plans.
Napoleon III had planned an opera for his empire.
He never got it.
The republicans wanted an opera for their republic.
They got what they wanted.
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Charles Garnier returned to the site and the work was resumed.
The new government told him to hurry up.
The new government said the work should be completed by the end of 1874, so the opera could open for business from 1875.
By December 1874, the remaining work was completed.
In January 1875, the new opera house was ready to open for business.
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Charles Garnier had designed a large and imposing building with four sides.
Each side had its own purpose:
(1) The facade = the entrance for the general audience
(2) The back = the entrance for administration and performers (dancers, actors, musicians)
(3) The left side = a special entrance for the emperor.
A circular ramp allowed a carriage to enter the left side of the building. Once inside, the emperor could enter the opera. He was not exposed.
When the performance was over, the emperor could enter his carriage and leave the building by the circular ramp.
The imperial entrance was an important detail for Napoleon III.
The emperor had chosen Garnier's design, because it had a special entrance for the emperor.
But Napoleon III was never able to use the imperial entrance of the opera house, because he lost the war, because he had to go into exile in 1870 and because he died in 1873 before the work was completed.
(4) The right side = a special entrance for the elite (famous and rich people who could buy a private box inside the opera house)
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The building was designed and built as an opera house,
but it is also known as Palais Garnier. In this way, the name of the man who designed the
building and who oversaw the construction is still remembered.
REFERENCE
The history of the opera house in Paris is the subject of a documentary film which premiered in 2020. In 2023, it was shown on French and German television (arte tv).
** Director: Patrick Cabouat
** Run time: 90 minutes
The French title is
Palais Garnier:
Un Opéra pour un empire
The English title is
Building the Paris Opera House
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Palais Garnier
Inside the Paris Opera House
The Grand Staircase
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The French architect
Charles Garnier
(1825-1898)
designed the Paris Opera House and
oversaw construction of the building
from the beginning in 1861
to completion in 1875
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Charles-Louis Napoleon Bonaparte
(1808-1873)
President of France 1848-1852
Emperor of the French 1852-1870
In exile in the UK 1870-1873
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