François Hollande, President of the Republic and Audrey Azoulay, Minister of Culture and Communication, today visited the site of the Berthier workshops in Paris in the 17th in the presence of the directors of the Opéra national de Paris, Stéphane Lissner, the Comédie-Française, Eric Ruf, the Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe, Stéphane Braunschweig and the director of the Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique, Claire Lasne-Darcueil.
They attended the presentation of the first design studies of the Berthier and Bastille sites that foresee the creation of a large Cité du Théâtre in the heart of Greater Paris and the completion of the Opéra national de Paris project.
The conditions are now in place to offer an overall coherence that meets the development needs and the major challenges of the future of these institutions. This double and ambitious project opens new perspectives for dramatic and lyrical creation and also new avenues of development between national theatres and the conservatory on a national and international scale.
"Che future project of Cité du Théâtre will stimulate a new artistic impetus at the national level and in the heart of Greater Paris. With the Opéra Bastille, these two sites will offer artists new places of work and training. They will allow, thanks to the new rooms and common spaces, the meeting with a wider audience and also new collaborations between these flagship institutions of French creation ,” said Audrey Azoulay, Minister of Culture and Communication.
' The political will is here the carrier of all the inventions to come, those that will be born between young actors and experienced actors, in the heart of a population in full development, within an international campus: a vision of our cultural heritage that leaves all its place to the emergence, to the other, to all others Claire Lasne-Darcueil, Director of the Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique, said.
A new artistic site in the heart of Greater Paris
An exceptional artistic site will be created in a changing area. It will be dedicated to training and professional integration, priorities of the government towards youth, and will allow access to major theatrical works for a renewed public.
It is a ' exciting idea to bring together in one place three major institutions to bring together audiences and artists in new synergies and thus participate in a profound urban change of the cultural landscape », said Stéphane Braunschweig, director of the Odeon Theatre of Europe.
The Cité du Théâtre will house:
- the new premises of the Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique;
- the performance, rehearsal and technical spaces of the Odeon - Theatre of Europe;
- and two rooms for the Comédie-Française allowing it to present all the repertoires and contemporary forms.
With public-facing common spaces, sharing libraries and resource centres, workplaces and places of life, The Cité du Théâtre aims to become a major cultural site promoting the social and generational diversity of the new district and taking place in the heart of Greater Paris.
' Geographically, the Cité du Théâtre is located on a line between a conquered audience and another to conquer and this shift will be fertile », said Eric Ruf, general manager of the Comédie-Française.
Completion of the Opéra Bastille workshop and modular hall project
This project fully reflects the development prospects of the Opéra national de Paris with the transfer to Bastille of activities initially provided on the Berthier site. The spaces of the room known as the “modular room” and the grounds rue de Lyon will be designed to host workshops and a rehearsal room. They will also be able to welcome the public and especially around projects in favour of arts and cultural education.
' With this investment for decades to come, we will continue to evolve and enrich our relationship with the public », said Stéphane Lissner, director of the Opéra national de Paris.
Cost and timing
The first studies estimate the total cost of the operation at €150 million excluding tax. This State investment will ultimately allow a better optimization of costs for all the activities of these four national institutions. The necessary means have already been included in the draft Finance Bill - PLF 2017 to continue the study phases of the project before the start of the work scheduled in 2018.
The completion of the Bastille site and the opening of the Cité du Théâtre in Berthier are planned between 2022 and 2023.