Municipal Opera, Marseille

This grandiose theatre of music and dance, constructed in the 18th Century in the reign and style of Louis XVI, was transformed into an opera house in the early 1800s. Ravaged by fire in 1919, all that remained was the Neoclassical peristyle and the outer walls. It was rebuilt by architects Castel and Ebrard in 1924 in art-déco style, with a seating capacity of 1830. The building is indeed unique in terms of style and it is a shrine to operatic theatre in France. Performances are regularly staged here by the National Ballet, and one Friday each month you can attend recitals by the National Operatic Society in the foyer. There is a bar and restaurant on the premises, and guided tours are organised by the Tourist Information Office.

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