Tours Opera in 6 key dates

After the Revolution, the State organized the sale of national property. A local man, M. Bucheron acquired the Cordeliers Church, dating from the 13th century, and transformed it into an 800-seat concert hall.

No longer meeting the requirements of modern shows (seats had no backrests, there was no gas lighting) the City of Tours bought the hall and inaugurated in 1872 the first Municipal Theatre of the city of Tours.

One night in August 1883, a fire burnt down the theatre. Only the façade and walls still stood up. A jury chaired by Charles Garnier entrusted the reconstruction to the architect J.-M. Hardion, the paintings to G. Clairin and the sculptures to F. Combarieu.

The second theatre is inaugurated, its architecture is the one we know today.

The orchestra of the opera obtains the label "Orchestre national en région". It interprets a repertoire lyric, symphonic and chamber musician. A professional permanent choir was established in 1983.

The Minister of Culture Rima Abdul-Malak announces the classification as Historical Monuments of the Grand Theatre of Tours in its entirety. It is one of the few operas in France to be fully classified.