Antoine Blanchard “Théâtre des Variétés”
Source: Théâtre des Variétés – this Paris street scene by Antoine Blanchard will be making its way to a new home early next week.
Marguerite Brunet (1730-1820), better known as Montansier, created and directed the theater, which was built in only five months and opened on June 24, 1807 with the show A Panorama of Momus, a light comedy by Marc-Antoine Désaugiers. Montansier died on July 13, 1820, at the age of 90, and the comic actor Joseph Mira-Brunet (1766 –1861) took over as director. Mira-Brunert remaind there until July 1830; at which time François-Victor-Armand Dartois took the reins. This began a period of instability at the theater until Hippolyte Cogniard took over in 1855. She directed the theater towards shows and revues that were spectacular, filled with light comedy intersected with dances and verses. Today, the Théâtre des Variétés, located at 7, Montmartre Boulevard remains one of largest Parisian theaters and was declared an historic building in 1975.