Enjoy an evening of opera, ballet or classical music at Opéra Comédie, the late 19th-century opera house on the Place de la Comédie. The beautiful theatre with its grand frontage is the principal venue of the Opéra National de Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon, an opera company formed in 1755.
Before taking your seats, stop for a pre-show drink in one of the cafés that line the plaza. Appreciate the exterior façade that is crowned by a decorative balustrade and clock. Step inside the theatre’s grand foyer and spend a few minutes studying the large frescoes. When you are inside the auditorium, look above your head to admire the ceiling fresco and ornate crystal chandelier. There is seating for 1,600 patrons on five levels.
Operas from Mozart, Verdi, Puccini and many other renowned composers are performed on the venue’s stage, often in their original languages. French translations are shown on a large screen. There are several shows every week, details of which are available on the website of the Opéra National de Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon. For visually impaired people, the opera house offers audio descriptions in French of the performances.
Ticket prices vary between shows, but there are usually discounts for children under 12 years of age and for people with disabilities. If the venue is fully booked, try the Berlioz Opera House, only a few hundred feet away.
Opéra Comédie stands on the southern side of the Place de la Comédie. With such a central location the venue is easily accessible by bus, tram, train and taxi. If you prefer to drive, leave your car in the metered multi-story parking lot under the Place de la Comédie.
The main opera season is from November to May and there are no performances of any kind in August. Every July, Radio France hosts a music festival in the region, with a number of classical concerts at the opera house.
