Built 1778-1784 as "Théâtre" by Claude Joseph Alexandre Bertrand, after 1775 designs by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, one of the most influential innovators of French Neoclassical architecture. The semicircular auditorium consisted of three semicircular tiers of seats and a curving colonnade of Doric columns. Like in the Bayreuth Festspielhaus (built nearly a hundred years later), a covered orchestra pit made the orchestra invisible from the auditorium. Opened 9 Aug 1784 with Piron's "La Métromanie" and Grétry's "Le tableau parlant". 1836 restorations. 1857 restorations and interior alterations by Delacroix. Destroyed by a fire on 29 Apr 1958, leaving only the façade with its characteristic portico. Subsequently rebuilt to modern designs. Re-opened 1958. 1994 major interior rebuilding, renamed "Opéra-Théâtre". Re-opened 11 Jan 1995 with a concert. Used for opera performances. Originally 2000 seats, after 1958: 1100 seats. Later renamed "Théâtre Ledoux". One of the homes to the "Scène nationale de Besançon".

Links: www.scenenationaledebesancon.fr, EUTA, Wikipedia