L'Opéra

In 1907, following a fire in the theater, Lille architect Louis-Marie Cordonnier was commissioned to build an opera house, in the spirit of the achievements of Charles Garnier and Monte Carlo. Made just before the First World War, it was inaugurated by the Germans in 1914 and then again by the French in 1923. On the pediment surmounting the facade, Apollo surrounded by his muses is the work of sculptor Hippolyte Lefebvre. On the left, the aalégorie of Music is Amédée Cordonnier, right, that of the Tragedy of Hector Lemaire. Reopened in December 2003 after six years of restoration, the interior presents a monumental staircase and a richly decorated in Louis XVI style made of marble, stucco, bronze, gold and sparkling crystals. The Italian room is one of the last examples built in France, and can accommodate 1136 spectators.