Paris Olympia
Façade of music, shown at night (c. 2009)
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| Full name | L'Olympia Bruno Coquatrix |
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| Former names | Montagnes Russes (1889-93) Théâtre Jacques Haïk (1928-1944) |
| Address | 28 Boulevard des Capucines 75009 Paris, France |
| Location | 9th arrondissement |
| Owner | Coquatrix Family |
| Capacity | 1,996 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 26 May 1888 |
| Renovated | 1954, 1979, 1997, 2001 |
| Closed | 1916-18, 1944-54, |
| Website | |
| Venue Website (in French) | |
Olympia (commonly known as L'Olympia, Olympia Hall or Paris Olympia) is a music hall located in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber.
Co-Founded in 1888, by Joseph Oller and Charles Zidler, the co-creators of the Moulin Rouge, today easily recognizable by its giant red glowing letters announcing its name. It opened in 1889 as the "Montagnes Russes" but was renamed the Olympia in 1893. Besides musicians, the Olympia played host to a variety of entertainment including circuses, ballets, and operettas. However, following a steady decline in appearances by the great stars, from 1929 until 1944 it served as a movie theater. It may have opened as a music hall under the German occupation of France during World War II, but certainly in 1945 after the Liberation, it was a music hall free to Allied troops in uniform. Attendees had to listen to the playing of four national anthems before the varied programs that always ended with a spirited can-can performed by dancers, some of whom were no longer young. Thereafter, at times it may have reverted to movies again until Bruno Coquatrix revived it as a music hall with a grand re-opening in February 1954. After his death, it ultimately went into another decline and was in danger of being torn down and turned into a parking lot but on 7 January 1993, France's then Minister of Culture, Jack Lang issued a preservation order for the Olympia that resulted in two years of construction work to rebuild a perfect replica of the façade and the grandeur of its famous red interior.
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