Lyon Blue Opera

Rebuilt in 1831 after a fire by Antoine-Marie Chenavard and Jean-Marie Pollet, the Lyon Opera was completely restructured and enlarged between 1986 and 1993 by Jean Nouvel. While preserving the original facades and the public foyer, a part classified as historic, the interior volume was multiplied by three, the architect having developed the basement and created an upper floor decorated with a vault, moreover very controversial.

It houses a performance hall mainly used by the Lyon National Opera, which performs operas, ballets and concerts there and can accommodate 1,100 spectators. The main façade is topped with 8 statues representing 8 of the 9 muses. The opera house is made up of 18 floors, the first 5 of which are dug into the ground and the last 5 are located in the glass roof, the top of which is 42 m above the ground.

The exterior of the building was initially heavily criticised, particularly because of the glass roof at the top of the building, but it is now part of the urban landscape and seems well accepted by the people of Lyon and recognised as a successful example of contemporary renovation.