Architecture

Salle Molière

Lyon

Salle Molière is a municipal concert hall in Lyon, located in the Palais Bondy on quai de Bondy in the Saint-Paul district, on the right bank of the Saône river. It is situated next to the smaller Salle Witkowski. Originally built for concerts of the Conservatoire de Lyon, the hall was inaugurated in 1912. Its initial capacity was nine hundred spectators across multiple levels, including parterre, loges, amphitheater, and gallery; it now has seven hundred seats. The decoration of the hall was created by Louis Bardey, a professor at the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, while the staircases leading to the exhibition rooms were decorated by Alexandre Baudin. The name Salle Molière honors Molière, who settled in Lyon with his troupe in 1652 and whose play L’Étourdi was written in Lyon and first performed there in 1655 in the Jeu de Paume, formerly located on the site of the Palais Bondy. Today, the hall is mainly used for classical music concerts and also hosts events linked to the festival les Quais du polar.

Map showing the location of Salle Molière in Lyon
Location of Salle Molière in Lyon

Nearby Objects

Location of Salle Moliere

Salle Moliere is a municipal concert hall in Lyon, located within the Palais Bondy. It stands in the Saint-Paul district on quai de Bondy, on the right bank of the Saone river. Its setting places it in a central urban area closely associated with the city's riverside and historic neighborhood fabric.

Location, Design, and Dedication

Salle Moliere is located in the Palais Bondy, next to the smaller Salle Witkowski. It was originally built for concerts of the Conservatoire de Lyon and was inaugurated in 1912. The hall had an initial capacity of nine hundred spectators spread across several levels, including the parterre, loges, amphitheater, and gallery, while it currently has seven hundred seats. Its decoration was created by Louis Bardey, a professor at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, and the staircases leading to the exhibition rooms were decorated by Alexandre Baudin. The name of the hall honors Moliere, who settled in Lyon with his troupe in 1652. Histoire notes that Moliere wrote L'Etourdi in Lyon and first performed it in 1655 in the Jeu de Paume, which was located on the site of the Palais Bondy and is now destroyed.

Programming and Performers

Salle Moliere is mainly used for classical music concerts presented by Fortissimo Musiques, Piano a Lyon, and the Lyon Chamber Music Society. It also hosts concerts organized by the Association Frederic Chopin, as well as events held as part of the festival les Quais du polar. The venue's programming has included performances by nationally and internationally renowned artists such as Nelson Freire, Martha Argerich, Vladimir Sverdlov, Nicholas Angelich, Jean-Francois Zygel, Katia and Marielle Labbeque, and Michel Dalberto.