Famous theater in Paris 5 letters. Theaters of Paris: list, description and photos. Theaters Drama and comedy, musical theaters of Paris

Paris is the “capital of the world”, “a holiday that is always with you”, the city of love, the city of beautiful women and gallant men, the city of the Three Musketeers and merry cabarets. No matter how this city was called, what excellent epithets were not awarded! But, paying tribute to all the beauties and attractions of the capital of France, its cafes under umbrellas, the Champs Elysees and boulevards, one cannot fail to note another important feature of Paris: it is a city where a rich cultural life is in full swing. And, of course, almost everyone knows that the face of Paris is its theaters. After all, even at school we taught that Molière’s first productions were Paris, and Beaumarchais’s premieres were Paris, and the great Sarah Bernhardt, who played on stage as a 75-year-old with an amputated leg in Racine’s most difficult tragedy for an actor, “Phaedra,” is also Paris. .

The incendiary Moulin Rouge, repeatedly sung by poets and painted by artists, the brilliant Lido cabaret - all these are signs of Paris, the city of actors, dancers, singers, directors, writers and architects.

Coming here, each of us has an already formed image of the great city in his head and heart, imagines at least approximately what he would like to see, what is impossible without, and what can still be done without, since everything can be seen at once in this boundless For a tourist the place is simply unrealistic. Keep in mind that Paris can give you surprises and completely or partially change your perception of it. But in any case, we recommend including in your program a visit to any theater in Paris, or better yet several at once - without this, the impression of the city will be incomplete.

To navigate a colorful and diverse world Parisian theaters, you need, first of all, to have a good idea of ​​what performances you prefer.

If you are interested in time-tested opera or ballet, real theatrical surroundings, “theater” chandeliers with many candlesticks, classical halls with boxes, stalls, amphitheater, balconies and galleries - welcome to the Grand Opera. Or you can visit the largest classical music hall in Paris, the Chatelet Theater.

Even at school we learned that Moliere’s first productions were Paris, and Beaumarchais’s premieres were Paris, and the great Sarah Bernhardt, who played on stage as a 75-year-old with an amputated leg in Racine’s most difficult tragedy for an actor, “Phaedra,” is also Paris.

If you love modern opera, you are interested not in an elitist, but in a more democratic style of performance, repertoire and director's style that is close to our time - then you should definitely visit the Opera Bastille.

If you like dramatic theater, you also have a great choice - the Comédie Française (house of Molière), the Palais Royal theater, the Odeon theater, which gave its name to the whole quarter and now bears the proud title of “theater of Europe”.

And, of course, the highlight of theatrical Paris is its famous cabarets. “Moulin Rouge” has been replicated many times, known from thousands of booklets and postcards, and, most importantly, from the classic paintings of its regular, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who glorified both himself and his favorite establishment, the classic cabaret. And today the “Red Mill” (one of two preserved in Montparnasse, the other is the Moulin de la Galette) attracts many visitors from the most different countries. Every evening here you can see the famous cancan - business card"Moulin Rouge".

Well, if you want to keep up with the latest trends in genre theater, the Lido cabaret awaits you. Its story begins after World War II, when the Clerico brothers, Italians, came to conquer Paris. They named their establishment after the famous Venetian beaches of Lido. Original idea, which appealed to the taste of even sophisticated Paris - the combination of “dinner plus show” turned out to be surprisingly successful, and was adopted by many establishments following the Lido. And now you can dine here with wine and champagne, while watching an enchanting performance. Prices in the cabaret start from 100 EUR, shows start at 19, 21 and 23 hours.

Whatever theater you choose in this brilliant city, you can guarantee one thing - you won’t be disappointed in any case!

“See the Paris Opera and die,” - while walking around the 9th arrondissement of Paris, I want to pronounce the famous phrase of Ilya Ehrenburg this way. The Grand Opera building is a masterpiece of eclecticism and beaux arts, commissioned by Napoleon III by the little-known architect Charles Garnier. In honor of him, in 1989 the Grand Opera received its second name, “Opera Garnier,” because the second site of the Paris National Opera, the Opéra Bastille, was built, which today serves as the New Stage.

Tickets

You can purchase tickets by subscribing to the notification system about the start of sales on the website. Tickets are usually sold out within 10 minutes. But by opening the portal on time, you will get a chance to buy the best tickets for best performances within 252 euros. Regulars know that the best seats in the stalls can be purchased at half price either on the official website of the opera in the Bourse tab, where tickets are sold or exchanged by those who cannot attend the performance. Or you can purchase a reclining seat ticket on the day of the performance at the box office. These seats are considered not the most comfortable, and they are located in the very center of the stalls, where the passage is located, they have a back, they are velvet and soft - there is no inconvenience, but it is visible - 100%.

If you want to go to the theater on the same day and don't mind paying for the experience, your hotel concierge will always have tickets for any premiere. Don't forget to thank him for his troubles.

Dress code and traditions
On Christmas and New Year's Eve, you will see the whole world at the Paris Opera. There will be real countesses and princesses from all over the world, in tiaras and lorgnettes, ladies in kimonos, lace and sable fur coats. By the way, about fur coats: it is customary to wear them when entering the auditorium - everyone must see and appreciate your fur coat, after which your gentleman can take it to the wardrobe. The main staircase of the Opera Garnier is one of the most solemn and majestic places in the Opera. In the days of crinolines and wigs, the elite paraded here. Time has stopped on this staircase, and walking along it today, you involuntarily straighten your back, look confidently forward, easily nod your head to those you know, and smile softly. IN New Year it is decorated with fresh flowers - roses and peonies.

The staircase leads to a mosaic-studded foyer where you can enjoy a glass of champagne with strawberries and macaroons. But at the beginning of the 20th century, another foyer was opened, located directly behind the stage - the Dance Foyer. Ballerinas and those in power spent time there after the performance. Here destinies were decided and useful contacts were made: when ballerinas complained about low salaries, they were reminded of this foyer as a way to organize their lives.

If you are late
If you are late for the Opera, on your legal places They definitely won’t let you into the stalls or boxes, but they will offer you the upper tier under the ceiling until intermission. From here you can hardly see the scene. At the same time, there are amazing acoustics here, and you can enjoy the music and the ceiling painted in the 60s by Marc Chagall.

During intermission and after the performance
And here you are in the red and gold velvet hall. Elegant ticket inspectors escort you to your seats and you sit in anticipation of a wonderful ballet by Nureyev or Petipa. A magnificent painted curtain with gold braid and tassels opens. Your heart skips a beat. You will be able to exhale only after 2 hours at the Café de la Paix near the theater and discuss the amazing ballerina costumes created, for example, by Christian Lacroix or Karl Lagerfeld.

Tour of the theater
If you realize that the performance was not enough for you, take a tour of the theater, tickets for which can be purchased on the website or at the theater box office. Here you will learn that there has been a beehive with shoulders on the roof of the building for 10 years, and that the very “lake” where the famous “Phantom of the Opera” was hiding is still located in the basement of the theater.

Opera Bastille

In the calendar of events of the recognized cultural capital of the world, Paris, performances and concerts of the Opéra Bastille occupy an important place. This is the largest one in France theater stage relatively recently - in 1989, 200 years after the Day of the Taking of the Bastille, on the site of that famous Parisian fortress, dismantled piece by piece by the people, where state criminals were kept. When planning to build a theater, French President Francois Mitterrand was guided by two motives. Firstly, there were no longer enough seats in the ancient building of the Paris Opera. Secondly, in the ancient and elite Opera Garnier, productions in the spirit of modern times looked ridiculous. The new theater could introduce a wider public to art.

Not the least role in choosing the place and name new opera It also played a role in the fact that Bastille Day is a national holiday in France, a symbol of freedom and new times: there is a clear desire to accept art without borders on the stage of the new Opera.

Tickets
When you purchase your tickets, you can breathe easy: the architect Carlos Ott came up with a hall in which the stage is visible from any seat. The effect was achieved due to the fact that the auditorium is usually made in the shape of a horseshoe, but here it is rectangular!

Tour of the theater
The Bastille Opera is one of the most high-tech theaters in the world, along with the Sydney Opera House. The backstage, which is shown here on excursions, occupies 90% of the theater. All nine scenes here can move completely contactlessly, quickly replacing each other! True, professionals still complain: the acoustics here are not the best for demonstrating great voices. At one time, the opera featured performances by Placido Domingo and Bob Wilson's The Night Before the Morning. Both operas in Paris are highly competitive. Thus, Natalie Portman's husband Benjamin Millepied and even the Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim could not withstand the behind-the-scenes games and left the theaters.

Dress code and traditions
An interesting point: at the Opera Bastille it is also customary to enter the hall in outerwear, but unlike the Opera Garnier, it is not necessary to take it to the wardrobe. A strange tradition appeared because when you take your coat to the cloakroom, it is customary to tip the cloakroom attendant. The public in the Bastille is more democratic, and they simply save money on tea.

Third scene

The theater project “Third Stage” in Paris exists only on the Internet, but is an integral part of the cultural life of the city. Its contributors - rapper Abd Al Malik, actresses Fani Ardant and Clémence Poésy, choreographer Benjamin Millepied - created Internet space within the Paris Opera, where talented people would meet for inspiration, self-expression and creativity. In the era of the Internet, the creation of a cyber platform became a logical continuation of the two existing stages of the opera. The activities of the Third Stage can be observed from anywhere in the world and in any language.

Comedie Française

Sarah Bernhardt's star lit up on the stage of this theater when she was only 18 years old! She lit up so brightly that at the age of 22 she had to leave the troupe for 6 years in order to go to conquer America! It was here that the lovely 17-year-old Jeanne Samary made her debut, whose portraits by Renoir hang in Pushkin Museum and the Hermitage. Here the world recognized Jean Marais and Jeanne Moreau. Comédie Française is located in the heart of Paris - in the first arrondissement in the Palais Royal, right next to the Louvre. The theater was founded in the 17th century by Louis the Sun.

Tickets
Ticket prices here are more affordable than at the opera. Moreover, young people under 28 years old can get impressive discounts. At the beginning of the month you will always find good tickets to the next one. There are many scenes at the Comedy Française. In addition to the main one, where they mostly stage French classics, there are experimental box stages, where small halls stage performances that will pierce you through and through! Admission to them is almost free.

Dress code
On the main stage of the theater, try to dress conservatively but festively. But for smaller scenes, the outfit is entirely up to you. But remember: all the scenes are located in majestic buildings of the 15th or 17th centuries, and one is even in the Louvre, with stucco and other attributes of luxury.

Odeon (Theater of Europe)

The Odeon Theater is located next to one of the most beautiful parks in Paris - the Luxembourg Gardens. The building was built by order of Queen Marie Antoinette in the classicist style. In 1784, it was here that the premiere of “Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro” by Beaumarchais took place. In the 18th century, this theater was considered incredibly advanced - after all, absolutely all the seats here were seated. And in the 20th century, the theater became the first in France to abandon candles in favor of electricity! Now it is called the Theater of Europe. The most popular here are modern productions based on Beckett and Ionesco.

Theater de la Ville

The theater, located in the heart of Paris, was built in the mid-19th century for Baron Haussmann. He quickly changed his names: to turn of the 19th century and the 20th century it was called the Theater of Nations, after World War II - the Sarah Bernhardt Theater, and in the late 60s it again began to be called original title and abandoned the drama. Today, loyal fans of the art of dance go to it.

Theater on the Champs Elysees

Despite its name, this theater, built in the best traditions of Art Deco, is not located on the Champs Elysees, but on the main avenue of fashion - Avenue Montaigne, where it neighbors CHANEL, DIOR, GIVENCHY and VALENTINO. Diaghilev’s famous “Russian Seasons” took place on this stage: the premiere of Stravinsky’s ballet “The Rite of Spring,” which ended in a huge scandal—the public found such work odious and provocative.

Dress code
Your look should be chosen based on the stage you are going to: for a classical music concert on the stage of the Grand Theater, choose a floor-length dress, for a theatrical performance at La Comedie smart casual, and for the intimate stage of Le Studio, where you can sometimes listen to authentic ancient music, Casual clothes, decorated with a beautiful scarf or brooch, are suitable. By the way, “Russian Seasons”, now under the leadership of Maris and Ilze Liepa, still comes here.

Chatelet

The Chatelet, a theater in the first arrondissement of Paris, is suitable for lovers of not only opera and ballet, but also operetta and musicals. The Chatelet also hosted Diaghilev's seasons, for example, it was here in 1912 that Parisians saw “ Afternoon rest Faun" with Vaslav Nijinsky and the scandalous "Parade" of 1917, the costumes for which were created by Pablo Picasso and the script by Jean Cocteau.

Thanks to its outstanding architecture and glass dome, the Châtelet has excellent acoustics. By the way, it is in this theater that the Cesar film awards are held annually.

Some French directors do amazing things. Classic texts here they are mixed, and spectacular sensations prevail over words.

Such shows are stunning with a huge cast of performers, huge sets (sometimes against the backdrop of real structures that have never been used for such purposes) and original musical accompaniment.

A unique spectacle arises, even if you don’t understand a word. This kind of director is (par excellence) Ariane Mnouchkine, whose Theater of the Sun is based in the Vincennes cartridge factory. The English director Peter Brook settled in the Bouffe du Nord theater, this is another magic show that lasts several days. The name of Patrice Chéreau is also known, who, however, is more often involved in cinema than in the theater. Any performance by these three iconic figures is not to be missed.

At the same time, bourgeois farces, post-war classics, plays by Shakespeare Racine and other performances, as a rule, are staged in the same way talented people, as in London or New York. What is rare here are homegrown, socially driven or realistic dramas of the sort that previously kept British theater afloat.

Edward Bond's plays, which often deal with the nature of power and the oppression of minorities (they are now rarely produced in Britain), are now regularly presented in translation in Paris theater programs. Quite successful productions famous plays playwrights such as Sarah Kane or Mark Ravenhill, while their French counterparts barely exist.

The great generation of French or francophone playwrights, including Anouilh, Genet, Camus, Sartre, Adamov, Ionesco and Cocteau, ended with the deaths of S. Beckett in 1990 and E. Ionesco in 1994. But their plays are often staged to this day. “The Bald Singer” by Ionesco has been performed every evening since 1952 at the Huchette Theater, and the state classical theater The Comedy Française is staging Genet's Screens (a play that caused unrest on the day of the premiere) along with works by Corneille and Racine.

The serious attitude of the French authorities towards their culture, including theatre, is encouraging. Numerous theaters and troupes in Paris are fully or partially subsidized by the state or the Paris mayor's office. The suburbs are also included, thanks to the ubiquitous Maisons de Culture, the brainchild of the fiction writer André Malraux, a former wartime comrade of Charles de Gaulle and Minister of Culture in the 1960s. However, ironically, these institutions, designed to bring culture to the masses, often produce creations that are difficult to understand.

Another advantage of the Parisian theater scene is that it is open to foreign influences. Thus, the troupe of the “Theater of the Sun” is represented by twenty nationalities, foreign actors and directors are frequent guests here. In any month you can see Italian, Mexican, German or Brazilian productions in their own language, or performances by Turkish or Chinese theatrical radicals who have no place in their homeland.

The best time for Parisian theatergoers is during the Autumn Festival from mid-September to mid-December. The festival presents all types of international performing arts with the involvement of directors of any level - from the American R. Wilson to the Canadian R. Lepage.

Theater cafes in Paris

Theatrical revues, monologues and mini-plays staged in establishments where you can drink and eat, that is, cafe theaters, are perhaps less understandable to the audience than Racine's tragedies in the Comedy Français due to dubious jokes, wordplay, allusions and allusions to contemporary events, phobias and politics, even if you speak French fluently.

For such an attempt, you can head to one of the main sites in Marais quarter. The average ticket price here is 15 euros, and the area is not large, although there is a chance to get here in the evening during the week.

1). Theater Café Blancs-Manteaux– The program includes revues, variety comedies and chanson evenings. Along with recognized actors, young talents also participate here; famous French stars, for example, comedian A. Rumanoff, began their career here. Tickets cost 14 euros, and tickets (including dinner) to the nearby restaurant Epices et Delices are also available (25 euros). Cafe address: 15 rue des Blancs-Manteaux, metro station Hotel-de-Ville/Rambuteau;

Paris is a city of world-class attractions and theaters. The capital constantly hosts concerts, ballet, theater performances and dance shows. Buildings, both ancient and modern theaters amaze with their luxury, size and interesting story.

House of Moliere

The Comédie-Française is one of the few state-owned theaters in France. The theater is part of the Palais Royal complex (former royal palace in the 1st arrondissement of Paris) and is located on 2nd rue Richelieu on Place Andre-Malraux.

The theater is also known as the Theater of the Republic and the House of Moliere. "Comédie-Française" was founded by Louis XIV in 1860, then the entire repertoire consisted of plays by the famous Moliere. In the 18th century, only the French nobility could visit the theater, as ticket prices were very high.

Today the Comedie-Française theater has more than 3,000 performances in its repertoire and consists of three buildings:

• Richelieu Hall (next to the Royal Palace).
• Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier (6th arrondissement of Paris).
• Studio theater.

The names of almost all playwrights in France were at one time associated with the Comedy-Française.

Opéra Bastille is a modern one in Paris, located on the Place de la Bastille in the 11th arrondissement. After the destruction of the railway station, a theater was opened on this site in 1989, consisting of four large halls:

• Great Hall with a capacity of 2703 people.
• Amphitheater for 450 spectators.
• Studio room.
• The hall where the orchestra rehearses.

Due to its shape and size, the hall is said to have poor acoustics compared to other world-class opera houses. Therefore, an orchestra pit was adapted to improve sound quality. Its floor can rise and fall, which makes the sound of the orchestra louder and quieter.

The huge area behind the scenes is equipped with modern technical equipment, which allows you to stage entire sets of scenery.

Great Theater

The Paris Grand Opera, or Palais Garnier, is a 1,979-seat opera house located on the Boulevard des Capucines. It is also often called the Opera Garnier. After the construction of the Opera Bastille theater stage Garnier began to be often used for ballet performances.

About a hundred sculptors and more than a dozen artists took part in the creation of the main facade of the theater. The façade is decorated with gilded figurative groups: “Harmony”, “Poetry”, “Dance” and “Lyrical Drama”. Busts of the great Beethoven and Mozart were placed between the columns.

The interior of the Opera Garnier building is even more impressive than appearance: The marble staircase, huge crystal chandeliers and mosaic ceiling are so luxurious that the room is often compared to Versailles.

Palais Garnier is the largest theater in Paris and the most magnificent in the world.

Touring performances of artists often take place here. Artists of the Moscow Theater in recent years often performed on the stage of the Paris Opera and delighted the French public. In 2011, the ballet “Flames of Paris” was included in the tour program. Bolshoi Theater based on the era of the Great French Revolution.

Champs Elysees

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées is a theater on Avenue Montaigne in Paris. It was opened in 1913 to stage modern musical productions, in contrast to the conservative theaters of the capital.

The building became the first example of Art Deco architecture in Paris; the building housed two small stages, a comedy theater and a studio.

During the year, three productions are staged on its stage and concert season. Two orchestras rehearse here: the National Orchestra of France and the Lamoureux Orchestra.

The Champs Elysees Theater is one of the most beautiful concert halls Paris.

Choreography in Paris

The Théâtre de la Ville, which means "City Theatre", is considered one of the most prestigious venues in Paris. Nowadays, dance performances are mainly staged on stage. The theater received its final name in 1968, from that time high-quality dance shows were staged under the leadership of Jean Mercur and then Gerard Violette. The Theater de la Ville revealed to the world the names of such famous choreographers as Jan Fabray, Pina Bausch, Caroline Carlson.

Neoclassical capital

Théâtre de l'Odéon - located on 2nd rue Corneille in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, next to This is a neoclassical theater built for the Comédie-Française. The building burned down in 1807, but was completely restored.

Italian style

Théâtre du Châtelet - built on the site of a small fortress at the request of Baron Haussmann. The theater looks like a twin of another theater - De la Ville, although the interior is different. In the 20th century, the Théâtre du Châtelet was used to stage operettas, ballet performances, classic music concerts. Currently they are performing on its stage opera performances and hold concerts.

Théâtre du Rond-Point is a theater in Paris, located in the 8th arrondissement, near the Champs-Élysées. From 1894 to 1980 there was an Ice Palace here. Nowadays, modern theatrical performances: “Exemplary Love”, “George’s Paradox”. "Banquet".

Plays and shows

Theater National de Chaillot is a theater located on the Place du Trocadéro in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, next to the Eiffel Tower. The Théâtre de Chaillot is one of the largest concert halls in Paris. The French Ministry of Culture announced it National Theater France.

The Théâtre National de Chaillot was built by brothers Jean and Edouard Nickerman for the Paris Exhibition in 1937. Nowadays, the building houses three performance halls and a theater school. It is often held here fashion shows famous French fashion designers Giorgio Armani, Elie Saab and Claude Montana.

Marigny Theater

Théâtre Marigny is a theater in Paris, located near the Champs-Élysées and Avenue Marigny, in the 8th arrondissement. In 1894, Eduard Niermans turned the theater grounds into a stage for summer musical performances. Later the hall was expanded and modernized, which made it possible to stage opera performances. Now the theater is owned by the famous collector and billionaire Francois Pinault.

Exclusive places in Paris

Opéra Comique - located near the Palais Garnier, in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. Currently, there are about a dozen operas, concerts and exhibitions on stage. In the summer of 2015, the theater closed for a long reconstruction, but in 2017 it already began its work.

Café de la Gare - located in the 4th square between the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris and the historical Marais district. At the time of its founding, the Café de la Gare was called a "dinner theatre", however it was never a coffee shop, there were no tables or chairs, only benches surrounding a small stage.

From the very beginning, comedies on the verge of farce began to be staged on stage. The experimental theater is a great place for a cultural evening in Paris.

By the second half of the 18th century, the French Enlightenment entered its highest and decisive stage. Sharp exacerbation social contradictions, expressed in open bourgeois opposition to absolutism and in a number of popular unrest, unsuccessful foreign policy the French government and the disastrous peace for France of 1748 contributed to the emergence of a pre-revolutionary situation in the country. The ideological exponents of the revolutionary social “force” were materialist philosophers, who mercilessly criticized “all political, social and cultural institutions of the absolutist state. These were people, as Engels defined, “who enlightened French heads for the approaching revolution.”

Basic distinctive feature French drama and theater XVIII century was their militant ideological orientation and journalistically sharp, agitational tone. The militant character of the French Enlightenment, which for almost the entire century educated the masses of the third estate in an anti-feudal spirit and contributed to the revolutionary overthrow of absolutism, was manifested with particular force in the theater.

The development of enlightenment in France did not occur in peaceful conditions, as was the case in post-revolutionary England, but in an atmosphere of aggravated class contradictions, during the period of consolidation of the entire mass of the third estate for a joint revolutionary action against the feudal-noble state.

The French bourgeoisie had to oppose the very state to which in the past it had not only voluntarily submitted, but to the strengthening of which it itself had largely contributed in the 17th century. By bringing the bourgeois elite closer to itself, rebuilding them in an aristocratic manner, and forming “nobles of the mantle” from among the bourgeoisie, absolutism thereby weakened the bourgeoisie as a class as a whole. Throughout the 17th century, the French bourgeoisie remained a class deprived of any political rights, and for the most part retained the powerless state of the medieval tax-paying class.

The first decades did not bring anything significant with them in the field of dramatic art: theaters lived mainly with the old repertoire. What numerous modern playwrights wrote (Lafosse, Lamotte, Pradon, Campistron, Lagrange-Chancel) was a conscientious, but extremely pale repetition of well-known models. It seemed to the epigones of classicism that they did not need to study any social life, nor human soul. It is enough to borrow a plot from one of the ancient writers, master the secrets of composition, learn the art of sonorous rhymes - and a sublime drama worthy of the works of Corneille and Racine will be born by itself.

Among the countless number of such stillborn creations, the tragedies of Prosper-Joliot de Crebillon (1674-1762) certainly stood out. Despite all the conventionality of their plots, they were modern in their own way.

The process of democratization of society during the Enlightenment brought to life a new dramatic genre - bourgeois drama, the creators of which in France were D. Diderot, M. J. Seden, L. S. Mercier. The petty-bourgeois drama marked the victory of educational realism, bringing the themes of dramatic works closer to everyday reality.

Particularly indicative in this regard was the genre of “tearful comedy”, the creators of which P. C. Nivelle de Lachausse and F. Detouche, combining the principles of classicist comedy and English bourgeois drama, tried to compromise in their plays the contradictions between the nobles and the bourgeoisie. The shortcomings of the bourgeois drama and “tearful comedy” were overcome in the comedies of P. O. Beaumarchais “The Barber of Seville” (1775) and “The Marriage of Figaro” (1784), in which new strength Moliere's traditions came to life, the best features of educational aesthetics were embodied.

The heroic and civic aspirations of educational drama were revealed with greatest force during the period of the French bourgeois revolution end of the 18th century The tragedies of M. J. Chenier, imbued with anti-feudal pathos ("Charles IX", 1789, "Henry VIII", 1791, "Jean Calas", 1791, "Caius Gracchus", 1792), were examples of the dramaturgy of revolutionary classicism.

In France, the enlightenment philosopher Voltaire, turning in his drama to pressing social issues and denouncing despotism, continued to develop the genre of tragedy.

At the same time, the comedy-satirical tradition was maintained on the French stage. Thus, Lesage (1668-1747) in the comedy "Turkare" criticized not only the decaying nobility, but also the usurious bourgeoisie. He sought to create comedies for mass popular theater.

Another educator and playwright, Denis Diderot (1713-1784), defended truth and naturalness on stage. In addition to a number of plays ("Bad Son", "Father of the Family", etc.), Diderot wrote a treatise "The Paradox of the Actor", where he developed the theory of acting.

Along with Voltaire, Diderot was the all-encompassing genius of his age. He was self-taught and reached the top modern science and was engaged in a wide variety of branches of title. Diderot knew mathematics very well and wrote mathematical treatises; he studied medicine and compiled one of the first textbooks on physiology; he was one of the founders of the materialist theory of knowledge; he wrote treatises on economics; he visited Parisian art exhibitions year after year and gave reports on them that determined new stage in understanding the essence fine arts; he is the author of excellent literary works and among them the best, most profound and truthful book of the century, the brilliant "Ramo's Nephew", which received high praise from Goethe, Hegel and Marx. Diderot, finally, was a tireless editor of the Encyclopedia and wrote articles for it on a wide variety of topics, ranging from an article on beauty to a note on how Lille weavers weave linen. And this man, with all his inherent passion and energy, devoted himself to the theater. Even in one of his earliest stories, in “Immodest Jewels,” Diderot began criticizing court classicism. Then the philosopher wrote one after another serious comedies - “The Side Son” (1757) and “The Father of the Family” (1758), which were preceded by two theoretical works: “Conversations about the “Back Son” and the treatise “On Dramatic Poetry”. During the mature period of Diderot's activity, he wrote "The Paradox of the Actor".

Diderot was friends with Garrick, was closely associated with Clairon and the actress of the Italian Comedy Riccoboni, with whom he corresponded on issues of stage acting; He also wrote letters on the same issue to the young actress of the Warsaw Zhoden Theater. The love for the theater that accompanied Diderot throughout his life did not leave him in his old age. A few years before his death, the philosopher wrote a cheerful comedy, “Is He Good or Bad.”

The motto of Diderot’s entire truly titanic activity was the phrase: “Reasonable people like only real world"No matter how bad the surrounding reality was, Diderot still passionately loved life and unshakably believed in the power of man. Without this, all his educational work would have made no sense.

Diderot, like all enlighteners, idealized bourgeois relations, not understanding their antagonistic nature, but this idealization was completely sincere and objectively natural in the social conditions of the 18th century. Diderot defended bourgeois development because he considered it beneficial for all members of society, and not just for the wealthy. The great philosopher-enlightener saw further and deeper than the class interests of the bourgeoisie required. Fighting for a new, bourgeois society, he hoped that class privileges and social inequality would not resurrect in it in a new form. Diderot expressed the democratic side of the bourgeois spiritual emancipation of the 18th century, the common aspirations of all layers of the third estate, and was confident that the future bourgeois society would be a society of equality and freedom.

In the educational, rebellious, revolutionary literature of France XVIII century Beaumarchais's comedies took one of the main places in terms of their influence on the masses.

In the comedy "The Barber of Seville" Beaumarchais first brought out the image of the resourceful plebeian Figaro, a simple servant, a tireless denouncer of feudal orders. In his second comedy, The Marriage of Figaro, in a conflict with a nobleman, the clever Figaro emerges victorious. Never before have such bold speeches been heard from the French stage about the existing social regime.

At the center of both comedies is an active, witty man from the people, whose struggle for his personal and civic dignity was a vivid manifestation of the critical attitude of the masses towards social tyranny and moral depravity noble society on the eve of the revolution. Beaumarchais's comedies had enormous power of satirical denunciation, bright optimism, and revolutionary temperament.

Great changes were observed at that time in the performance of the best French actors: Michel Baron (1653-1729) and his follower Adrienne Lecouvreur (1692-1730). They sought to overcome the declamatory style of classicism and approach the natural manner of speech even in classic tragedy.

In the production of Voltaire's educational tragedies, a new type of actors emerged, capable of expressing the civic pathos of heroic and accusatory themes.

Fair and boulevard theaters occupied a large place in the development of theater during the Enlightenment in France. The genre of fair theater was pantomimes, farces, morality plays, and fastachtspiels, the performances of which were based on the art of improvisation. These were performances that were often satirical, with elements of the grotesque and buffoonery, filled with crude humor. Rope dancers, jugglers, and trained animals - prototypes of circus actors - also performed at the fairs. They made extensive use of parody and satire. The democratic character of this art caused attacks on it from privileged theaters.

In the Age of Enlightenment, the plots of harlequinades were drawn from the plays of A.R. Lesage, whose name is associated with the flourishing of fair theater. With the development of capitalism, the fair theater fell into decay. Based on folk French theater from the middle of the 18th century. Boulevard theaters arose, performing genre everyday plays based on modern material, often of an entertaining nature, with a love affair, necessarily generally understandable and designed for a wide audience. The first such theaters were built by the entrepreneurs of fair theaters (J.B. Nicolet on Boulevard Temple, 1759, theater "Fonambule", where the mime J.G.B. Deburo worked from 1819).

However, it was the fair and boulevard scenes that prepared a number of new genres, which then contributed to the development of theater in the era of the Great french revolution 1789 -1793

Giving overall rating French drama early XVIII century, it is easy to see that its reactionary and epigonic orientation was an expression of the noble-protective ideology. Realistic tendencies manifested in the work of even such moderate writers as Regnard and Dancourt led to criticism modern society. This criticism, expressed sharply and directly, contributed to the birth of the first French satirical comedy of the 18th century - "Turcare" by Lesage, which already came close to the accusatory drama that would be approved by the writers of the Enlightenment, starting from Voltaire and ending with Beaumarchais.