The days of restoration

The Roman Theatre returned to its original function in the 19th century to the great delight of the public. In 1825, Prosper Mérimée, then inspector of Monuments Historiques, began a huge renovation programme.

Partially restored, in 1869 the theatre hosted the “Roman Festivals”, organised by Anthony Réal, Félix Ripert and Alphonse Bernard, three noblemen from Orange. The festivals brought in more than 10,000 spectators to watch Méhul’s “Joseph” and a cantata to the glory of the Romans, “Les Triomphateurs” (The Triumphant Victors). With the magical atmosphere and unique acoustics of the place, it was an immediate success.

In 1902, this event, which was organised regularly, took on the name of “Chorégies” and became annual. One celebrity followed another onto the stage: in 1903 Sarah Bernhardt gave one of her finest performances in Racine’s “Phèdre”.
1971 marked the birth of the “Nouvelles Chorégies” and with it a new era: opera. The greatest opera singers came to perform before the famous stage wall: Barbara Hendrix, Placido Domingo and more recently Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu. Lavishly produced, great works like Puccini’s “Tosca”, Verdi’s “Aïda” and Bizet’s “Carmen” enthral spectators from around the world every year.