Monte-Carlo Opera (Salle Garnier)

On the sea side, the Casino hides a jewel: the Salle Garnier, home of the Monte Carlo Opera. Charles Garnier, who had just completed the Paris Opera, designed it in record time, and it opened in January 1879 with the great actress Sarah Bernhardt on stage. The hall is small, just over five hundred seats, but dazzlingly rich: gold, frescoes, reliefs and red velvet. Its intimate size makes it one of the opera houses most loved by performers. Major works have premiered here, and in the early twentieth century Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes made it their home port, with legendary dancers such as Nijinsky. From the terrace facing the sea, take time to admire the facade adorned with sculptures and mosaics, especially lovely at sunset. If you can, book an evening: an opera or ballet here is an unforgettable experience.

History

By the 1870s Monte Carlo was already drawing a wealthy crowd, but the town lacked cultural entertainment. Marie Blanc, widow of François Blanc, founder of the Société des Bains de Mer, called on Charles Garnier, who had just completed the Paris Opera. Work began in 1878 and took about eight months, a record time. The casino even had to close during the building work.

The hall opened on 25 January 1879. On stage, the great actress Sarah Bernhardt, dressed as a nymph, recited a poem. The first opera followed on 8 February: Le Chevalier Gaston by Robert Planquette. The hall was not originally designed for opera, but it was so quickly devoted to it that the stage was remodelled in 1898 and 1899.

Over time the building aged and had to close in 2000. A major restoration began in 2003, costing 26 million euros. The hall reopened on 16 November 2005 at the gala for the Prince’s National Day, and on 19 November, the day of Prince Albert II’s enthronement, Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims was performed.

Art and architecture

Charles Garnier recreated the spirit of his Paris Opera here, on a more intimate scale. The hall has 524 seats, compared with about 2,000 in Paris. Several artists worked on both theatres, including the painter Gustave Boulanger. Gold, frescoes, reliefs and red velvet make up a richly decorated interior.

The 1898 and 1899 remodelling, entrusted to the architect Henri Schmit, mainly affected the stage. Garnier’s facade and the auditorium itself remain largely intact. A practical detail: the public came in through the casino, while the prince had a private entrance on the west side.

Anecdotes

In 1892 Prince Albert I appointed Raoul Gunsbourg director of the Opera. He stayed for nearly 60 years, until 1951. Under him Monte Carlo became a place for premieres. Jules Massenet staged several works here, including Don Quichotte in 1910 with the Russian bass Feodor Chaliapin. Gabriel Fauré premiered Pénélope here, Giacomo Puccini La Rondine in 1917, and Maurice Ravel L’Enfant et les sortilèges. Since it opened, 45 operas have had their world premiere here.

The hall has also served as a ballroom. In 1966, for the centenary of Monte Carlo, Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace hosted a gala dinner here. It was transformed again for the wedding of Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene.

What to look for

From the casino terrace on the sea side, look at Garnier’s facade: sculptures, golden mosaics and two small towers frame the entrance to the hall. It is the most richly decorated side of the whole building, and loveliest late in the day when the sun lights it up.

If you attend a performance, take time to look at the painted ceiling and the boxes before the curtain rises.

Practical

The Salle Garnier cannot be visited freely: you enter during performances, and sometimes as part of the casino tour. The season usually includes operas, concerts by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra and ballets. The programme and tickets are on the official website, opera.mc. Smart dress is expected in the evening.

Nearby

During the major renovation from 2003 to 2005, performances moved to the Grimaldi Forum, which you can reach on foot along the seafront. The Opera will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2029: a scientific committee was set up in 2026 to prepare it. Right next door, the Casino and the Casino Gardens complete the visit.

To go further, the collective book edited by Jean-Lucien Bonillo, Charles Garnier and Gustave Eiffel on the French and Italian Rivieras, published in 2004, includes a study of the Garnier rooms at the casino.

Test yourself

Sources

• Wikipédia : Opéra de Monte-Carlo
• Wikipedia: Opéra de Monte-Carlo

Information checked on 30 September 2026.