Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Charles Dullin Theatre of Chambéry came into being in 1775, when King Victor-Amédée III of Sardinia financed the creation of a wooden performance hall, backed by the medieval ramparts of the city. This first theatre, decorated by the Galliari brothers, welcomed personalities such as François-Joseph Talma in 1812 and Mademoiselle George in 1819. Despite its poor quality, it becomes a central cultural place, frequented by figures such as Laure Junot, Duchess of Abrantès.

In 1820, the general-count of Boigne bought the theatre and financed its stone reconstruction, entrusted to the architect Jacques-Bernard Trivelli. Inaugurated in 1824 by King Charles-Félix de Savoie, this new neo-classical building, decorated with a stage curtain painted by Luigi Vacca, symbolizes the prestige of Chambéry. The theatre welcomed personalities such as Louis-Philippe in 1826 and Napoleon III in 1860, while serving as a framework for political events, such as a banquet of 658 covered in 1848.

A fire devastated the theatre on the night of 12-13 February 1864, leaving only the outer walls and the stage curtain, saved in extremis. The reconstruction, led by architects Charles-Bernard Pellegrini and Joseph-Samuel Revel, was completed in 1866. The new building retains the structure of the previous one but incorporates technical and decorative improvements, with contributions from artists such as Jules Dieterle and Auguste Delécole. The façade, marked by two distinct tones of stone, bears witness to this reconstruction.

In the 20th century, the theatre was dedicated to Charles Dullin, a Savoyard actor and director, and won the national stage label with Espace Malraux. Despite partial restorations, such as that of 1958-1959 or the consolidation of the concert hall in 1962, the condition of the building deteriorated. In 2017, a restoration campaign saved the stage curtain, classified as historic monuments since 1959, and restored its original colours.

The stage curtain, painted by Luigi Vacca in 1824, represents Orpheus asking Proserpine to release Eurydice and is one of the last four curtains of this period still in place in Europe. Ranked with French furniture heritage, it illustrates the link between theatre and myth, while being a rare testimony of 19th century scenographic art. The concert hall, closed since the 2000s due to its old age, still awaits a complete restoration.

Today, Charles Dullin Theatre remains a cultural symbol of Chambéry, combining historical heritage and contemporary artistic life. Its architecture, combining neo-classicism and eclecticism, as well as its preserved decorations, make it an emblematic monument of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

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