Grand Théâtre de Geneve
Grand Théâtre de Geneve
4
Monday
12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
About
Built in 1879, the Grand Théâtre de Genève is Switzerland's largest artistic stage and home to Geneva's opera and ballet companies. Each season, it offers nine opera productions, three dance productions and a wide range of cultural and festive events, productions for young audiences and recitals that contribute to the institution's reputation and honor its public service mission. Destroyed by fire in 1951, the building and facade retain their original Beaux-Arts style, while the paneled auditorium, completed in 1961, seats 1,500 and features a sculpted stage curtain and a spectacular ceiling of embossed metal, whose 1,200 glass stars illuminate the auditorium. The Grand Théâtre de Genève employs its own 40-strong opera chorus. The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande is the Grand Théâtre de Genève's artistic partner for its opera season.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
98 reviews
Excellent
40
Very good
40
Average
13
Poor
4
Terrible
1
Victoria McArtor
Laguna Beach, CA41 contributions
Oct 2019
Standing inside this gilded theater helps you understand the theory of “art for the sake of art.” This theatre is a metaphor for something more grandiose than I’m able to create – considering I’m just standing with my mouth agape. Perhaps it’s something that will take years to sketch, paint, and dry in the imagination. But at least it’s there in the memory bank. The play? Oh, I’m not so sure I remember. That intermission though… My date took a long walk in the rain for cash so we can buy champagne. I stand like a top, my head looking high to the goddesses on the ceiling while my body spins in place. Hundreds of people have crowded, surrounding this heavenly display of angels and saints in bright colors covering every inch of ceiling. This is the closest to heaven I’ve been, and I imagine these deities are keeping watch over the arts, where they should be.
Written March 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
permia
Ireland64,837 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
With an accolade of hosting the largest stage in the country, it is majestic in all senses.
Opening in the last quarter of the 19th century it has been renovated since, including after a major fire in the early 1950s.
It is beautiful both in and out. A sumptuous façade features high ornamentation including an array of Corinthian columns.
Opening in the last quarter of the 19th century it has been renovated since, including after a major fire in the early 1950s.
It is beautiful both in and out. A sumptuous façade features high ornamentation including an array of Corinthian columns.
Written December 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MV_Overchurch
Lichfield, UK63 contributions
A beautiful building; the Front of House areas had all the old-school 19th-century grandeur and opulence you'd hope for in a great European opera house, and extremely spacious; far easier to use in the interval rush than either of the London opera houses. Efficient and friendly ticket staff speaking fluent English, limited but decent range of affordable seats available on the night. Refreshment facilities were well-laid out and the drinks and food on offer (including champagne by the glass, lots of elaborate pastries and hot risotto) were sumptuous.
The rebuilt (60s-style) auditorium is startlingly different in style from the FOH but offered excellent sightlines and comfy seats. Having the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in the pit was an added bonus - but best of all for this English-speaking opera buff, trilingual surtitles (French, Italian and English: opera we saw was Die Zauberflote). This added hugely to the enjoyability of the evening. English-speaking opera-lovers shouldn't hesitate to book tickets; you'll be well looked after.
A magical evening, with all the glamour and polish you'd expect in this truly sophisticated city.
The rebuilt (60s-style) auditorium is startlingly different in style from the FOH but offered excellent sightlines and comfy seats. Having the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in the pit was an added bonus - but best of all for this English-speaking opera buff, trilingual surtitles (French, Italian and English: opera we saw was Die Zauberflote). This added hugely to the enjoyability of the evening. English-speaking opera-lovers shouldn't hesitate to book tickets; you'll be well looked after.
A magical evening, with all the glamour and polish you'd expect in this truly sophisticated city.
Written January 3, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
genevatopreviewer
Geneva, Switzerland1,713 contributions
Dec 2015 • Family
Attended the Opera "DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE" by W.A. Mozart and with Pretty Yunde as Pamina on New Year's eve and it was a marvellous experience. If you are either hungry or thirsty, just make sure you head straight for the bar during the interlude as wait can be very long.
Written January 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gleb7
Geneva, Switzerland29 contributions
Apr 2013 • Friends
Went there to see an opera in April - it was very expensive for what it was (good, but not exceptionally so) - on par or even perhaps more expensive than Paris, Milan and London (depends on the night). The owners have made a lot of effort to improve the venue in terms of repertoire and casting - and it's definitely better than a few years ago - but there's still room for improvement. Only opera house that's worth going to in the area though.
Written May 20, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DRM55
Geneva, Switzerland621 contributions
Mar 2013 • Friends
You are never disappointed at the Grand Théâtre. The Opera House has an amazing accoustics and usually brings some of the world best performers and pays a lot of attention to scenic arrangements. You can book along your ticket your dinner at their restaurant, but another way is just to sip some champagne in the upper floor gallery which is both gorgeously gilded and has a beautiful view on the Place de Neuve below. That's also the best way to meet the Genevans, some of which are foreign expats and most of them are utterly snobish and old, that's part of the fun. Oh, remember, this is Geneva, dress for the occasion. To be in jeans would mean missing on some of the fun of the evening! AND BE ON TIME because the show starts on time, sharp!
Written March 18, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GLS-ALS
Geneva, Switzerland334 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
Close to Parc des Bastions, large theatre with very good acoustic qualities. The Season program is very good with some remarkable performers. The Orchestre de ls Suisse Romande, with many talented musicians provides the music.
Written July 30, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kev B
St Helens, UK218 contributions
Nov 2012 • Solo
Went to see a show and thought I would be sitting through 3 hours of French lyrics trying to guess at the plotline. To my surprise they have a screen above the stage displaying the lyrics being sung in both French and English, an absolutely wonderful idea,
I would recommend it for a night out though the tickets are VERY expensive. I was informed by the porter that I could exchange my ticket for a better one and was promptly moved from the gods to stalls 6 (essentially a Fr150 discount for that seat).
The drinks did not seem that overpriced for Geneva - Fr6 for a small glass of wine (£4).
I would recommend it for a night out though the tickets are VERY expensive. I was informed by the porter that I could exchange my ticket for a better one and was promptly moved from the gods to stalls 6 (essentially a Fr150 discount for that seat).
The drinks did not seem that overpriced for Geneva - Fr6 for a small glass of wine (£4).
Written November 21, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gadget G
Geneva, Switzerland269 contributions
Mar 2013 • Friends
As usual, the Grand Théâtre fails in its ability to have a consistent high standard. Das Reingold had wonderful scenery, great staging but let itself down with some voices that were just not quite up to standard and some rather out of tune playing in the brass section. Then, when the 6 golden harps appeared on stage at the end of the opera, you could hear them the first time they played but not beyond that.
It is unfortunate that there is a continual lack of reliability in their productions. The opera house is very nice (especially from the front row of the second balcony) but the productions can be hit or miss. I actually enjoyed Das Reingold very much but, listening in on conversations on the bus home, it seemed that many didn't.
In the past I have been to productions and left at the interval because the staging has been so terrible. But. at the end of the day, music is very personal and how we react changes from person to person.
So, I would definitely suggest going to the Grand Théâtre and hope that you fall on one of their good productions. It's not cheap, though ..... for the same price you could go to La Scala ......
It is unfortunate that there is a continual lack of reliability in their productions. The opera house is very nice (especially from the front row of the second balcony) but the productions can be hit or miss. I actually enjoyed Das Reingold very much but, listening in on conversations on the bus home, it seemed that many didn't.
In the past I have been to productions and left at the interval because the staging has been so terrible. But. at the end of the day, music is very personal and how we react changes from person to person.
So, I would definitely suggest going to the Grand Théâtre and hope that you fall on one of their good productions. It's not cheap, though ..... for the same price you could go to La Scala ......
Written March 23, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dorrith Z
Helvoirt, The Netherlands1,955 contributions
Feb 2018 • Couples
We booked on line an opera (Faust) with conductor Michel Plasson as conductor at the Grand Théatre de Genève.
How surprised we were when a cab brought us, not to the Grand Théatre at the Boulevard du Théatre, but to a barn somewhere out in the dark, where the cab couldn’t hold.
Fortunately the cab driver gave us his card, otherwise we wouldn’t have returned to our hotel, since there was no Cab stand near that barn.
It turned out that the Official Grand Théatre was under construction/restauration/refurbishment and this was a temporary building (to be abort and rebuild in China later).
It was all very temporary: a small bar with a few not very special drinks and some unattractive snacks with poor service.
In the concert hall you had to walk under a kind of stand (in fact under the seats) where several items were stored among others a piano.
It was not very warm in the concert hall and perhaps due to the limited and expensive wardrobe people kept their coats and down jackets on. Not difficult to be overdressed there.
In the pause a lot of people left the barn opera house to what turned out to be a bar outside (better food, drinks and service).
Fortunately the opera was great, Michel Plasson a great conductor and great soloists. Surprisingly the acoustic was very good.
Which bothers me is that the management of the Grand Théatre de Genève didn’t mention that the official opera house was closed and that operas would be performed in a barn, as well the lack of cab stands.
How surprised we were when a cab brought us, not to the Grand Théatre at the Boulevard du Théatre, but to a barn somewhere out in the dark, where the cab couldn’t hold.
Fortunately the cab driver gave us his card, otherwise we wouldn’t have returned to our hotel, since there was no Cab stand near that barn.
It turned out that the Official Grand Théatre was under construction/restauration/refurbishment and this was a temporary building (to be abort and rebuild in China later).
It was all very temporary: a small bar with a few not very special drinks and some unattractive snacks with poor service.
In the concert hall you had to walk under a kind of stand (in fact under the seats) where several items were stored among others a piano.
It was not very warm in the concert hall and perhaps due to the limited and expensive wardrobe people kept their coats and down jackets on. Not difficult to be overdressed there.
In the pause a lot of people left the barn opera house to what turned out to be a bar outside (better food, drinks and service).
Fortunately the opera was great, Michel Plasson a great conductor and great soloists. Surprisingly the acoustic was very good.
Which bothers me is that the management of the Grand Théatre de Genève didn’t mention that the official opera house was closed and that operas would be performed in a barn, as well the lack of cab stands.
Written December 23, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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