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Origin and history

The theatre of Montbéliard is an emblematic building of the city, built in the 3rd quarter of the 19th century in the Italian theatre style. It is located at the back of the town hall, on land ceded for this use. Its architecture, signed Auguste Goguel and supervised by Theodore Flamand, includes a floor and two balconies, with a capacity of 400 seats. Interior decorations, including paintings, are the work of Charles-Antoine Cambon and Joseph François Désiré Thierry. The initial project (1853) was financed by a donation from Charles Henri Berchem and a public subscription, before being completed in 1857 at a total cost of 57,015 francs.

Prior to 1793 Montbéliard, then an independent county, had no fixed theatre. At the beginning of the 19th century, travelling troops animated performances in adapted rooms (castle, Halles). In 1853, Mayor Charles Samuel Sahler officially launched the project after a donation, despite a first rejection for lack of technical study. The plans, drawn up by the municipal architect Frédéric Morel-Macler and supplemented by Goguel, culminated in an inauguration in 1859. The theatre quickly becomes a versatile venue: shows, dances, concerts and public meetings.

In the 20th century, the theatre hosted significant events, such as the conference of General de Lattre de Tassigny in 1945, detailing the Liberation of Montbéliard. Partly classified as historical monuments in 1992 (vestibule, hall and scenery), it is now managed by MA national scene, one of 70 French national scenes. After a renovation in 1968, he proposed a varied program, from the young audience to the major theatrical forms.

The building illustrates 19th-century enthusiasm for municipal theatres, symbols of modernity and cultural life. Its Italian architecture, typical of the time, aims to democratize access to the arts while affirming the prestige of the city. Cambon and Thierry's paintings, as well as the balcony structure, reflect the aesthetic and social codes of the Montbéliard bourgeoisie, then in full industrial growth.

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