Lyon has developed a strong cultural influence - cultural events and institutions benefit from one of the largest chunks of Lyon’s budget - and it shows.
The presence in Lyon of prestigious cultural institutions, such as the
National Opera, the
National Orchestra, the
Lumière Institute, La Maison de la Danse and the
Célestins Theater, contribute to the city’s international reputation. Lyon is also a musical city, enjoying ancient, classic, contemporary, international, traditional French songs, rap, rock and more.
Of course, this is not to mention dance, theater and cabaret too, all of which are prevalent in the city. The
Conservatoire National Supérieur and the
Conservatoire National de Région are among the most important centers of musical learning in France outside Paris.
Tickets for theatrical or musical events can be bought from the booking offices directly or from
FNAC, 85 rue de la République (tel: (04) 7240 4949; website:
www.fnac.com). Local newspapers and magazines, such as the weekly
Lyon Poche (website:
www.lyonpoche.com),
Le Petit bulletin (website:
www.petit-bulletin.fr) or the monthly
Lyon Capitale (website:
www.lyoncapitale.fr),
publish information about cultural events taking place in the city.
Music: The
National Opera, 1 place de la Comédie (tel: 0826 305 325; website:
www.opera-lyon.org), houses several institutions. Among them is the
Opera Orchestra, which started in 1983, with young musicians and experienced conductors. Ivan Fischer has been the musical director since 2000. It alternates classical repertoire works with new compositions.
The
Lyon National Orchestra has its permanent residence in the
Auditorium, 149 rue Garibaldi (tel: (04) 7895 9548). Since 2000, the
Lyon National Orchestra, a symphony orchestra comprising 102 musicians, under the direction of David Robertson then Jun Markl (2005), has acquired an international reputation throughout the world.
The
Cité/Center des Congrès (formerly The
Palais des Congrès), 50 quai Charles de Gaulle (tel: (04) 7267 0188), hosts famous French artists, such as Serge Lama or Enrico Macias, as well as many classical concerts.
Theater: From classical to contemporary, all styles are represented in Lyon. The
Célestins Theater, 4 rue Charles Dullin (tel: (04) 7277 4000), is the oldest theater in Lyon and has had two centuries of continuous dramatic activity. It welcomes Parisian shows as well as regional companies, with productions ranging from classical theater to music hall. The
Théatre Nouvelle Génération (TNG), 23 rue de Bourgogne (tel: (04) 7253 1515), is a permanent venue for contemporary theater. It also offers special children’s productions.
Lyon was also the birthplace of the theatrical puppet figure known as
Guignol, which was created in 1808 by Laurent Mourguet. This tradition is still alive today with the
Théatre La Maison de Guignol, 2 montée du Gourguillon St Georges-Vieux (tel: (04) 7240 2661; website:
www.lamaisondeguignol.fr.st).
Other theaters include,
Les Marronniers, 7 rue des Marronniers (tel: (04) 7837 9817; website:
www.theater-des-maronniers.com),
Les Clochards Célestes, 51 rue des Tables Claudiennes (tel: (04) 7827 0695; website:
www.clochardscelestes.com),
Le Carré 30, 12 rue Pizay (tel: (04) 7839 7461), and
Le Théâtre de la Crois-Rousse, 3 place Johannès Ambre (tel: (04) 7207 4949; website:
www.croix-rousse.com).
Dance: The
Lyon Opera House Ballet Company, place de la Comédie (tel: (04) 7200 4545), offers a contemporary repertoire of international standing. The
Maison de la Danse, 8 avenue Jean Mermoz (tel: (04) 7278 1818/00; website:
www.maisondeladanse.com), was created in 1980. The company is completely devoted to choreography, with an emphasis on new productions. It welcomes French and foreign companies.
Film: In 1895, the Lumière brothers invented cinematography and shot the first ever film. The
Lumière Institute, 25 rue du Premier-Film (tel: (04) 7878 1895; website:
www.institut-lumiere.org) offers cinema screenings every day. It is also the best place for film aficionados to catch celluloid rarities and arthouse movies.
There are many other cinemas in Lyon, offering a wide choice of movies, including
CNP Bellecour, 12 rue de la Barre,
UGC Ciné-cité, 60 quai Charles de Gaulle, and
Pathé-Gaumont, 79 rue de la République. Information for all of them is available at
www.allocine.fr. There are no English-language cinemas in Lyon.
Lyon has served as a backdrop for movies including
Lucie Aubrac (1996) by Claude Berry,
Louis Enfant-Roi (1991) by Roger Planchon and
Les Voleurs (1995) by André Téchiné.
Literary Notes: Rabelais (1483-1553) was a doctor at Hôtel Dieu in Lyon, before writing
Pantagruel (1532)
and
Gargantua (1535). The poet Louise Labé (1526-1566) was born in Lyon and used to hold a literary salon in the city. And during the Renaissance, the Lyon publishing industry was the most important one in France.
The year 2000 saw the centenary of the birth of one of Lyon’s most famous sons, Antoine de St-Exupéry, best known as the author of
Le Petit Prince (1943). St-Exupéry wrote many other well known books, such as
Courrier du Sud (1927),
Terres des Hommes (1939) and
Vol de Nuit (1931), before disappearing in his plane over the Mediterranean in 1944. To celebrate the centenary of his birth, Lyon’s airport changed its name from Lyon-Satolas to Lyon-St-Exupéry.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Lyon Content
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related France Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
France Airport Guides:
|
France City Guides:
|
| France Attraction Guides: |
|
|
|
|
