History & Archives

The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées is one of the most elegant performance venues in Paris. Designed in 1913 by a group of artists (Henry Van de Velde, the Perret brothers, Antoine Bourdelle, Maurice Denis), it was the first Parisian theatre to be entirely built of reinforced concrete, and has perpetuated for the past century a tradition of eclectic programmes of a high standard (opera, recitals, orchestral concerts, dance). Its opening is still vividly remembered for the ‘scandal’ of the premiere of Le Sacre du Printemps, whose impact on the public derived as much from Stravinsky’s music as from Nijinsky’s choreography. The artistic adventure of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées has been distinguished by the presence, for over one hundred years now, of the most prestigious creative figures in the history of music, opera and dance.

A website entirely dedicated to the history of the Theatre

This archive site is made up exclusively of historical documents of which there is a material trace. The documents presented cover the period from 1907 (architectural plans) to the posters and programmes of the most recent seasons. It does not constitute an exhaustive history of the artistic activity of the theatres, but nevertheless offers a panorama of a century of their history through a collection of period documents.

The aim of the “Chroniques” collection is to explore current programming throughout the season in parallel with the history of the Théâtre by looking at an artist, work, repertoire or theme. Each issue comprises a text with a preface by prestigious writers in the field or performers, lavish illustrations, and a selection of audio archives in collaboration with Ina, the national audiovisual institute (accessed via QR codes).