History of the Theatre

The Théâtre de Beaulieu was unanimously considered excellent, from the layout of the hall with 1,844 seats to the stage and equipment; not to mention the acoustics, which perfectly met the needs of the time.

At its opening on 19 November 1954, the Théâtre de Beaulieu was the most beautiful and largest concert hall in Switzerland. That evening, the stage was filled by the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande under the baton of its conductor at the time, Ernest Ansermet, with the participation of pianist Clara Haskil. After the concert, the OSR conductor publicly announced his wholehearted approval for the theatre, highlighting its acoustic quality and elegant proportions.

In January 2016, site owner, the Beaulieu Foundation, joined forces with concert and show organiser Opus One to manage the Théâtre de Beaulieu and open a new chapter of its history. This new momentum, supported by the City of Lausanne, led to a complete renovation of the theatre, as well as new goals for the show programmes. The Théâtre de Beaulieu is home to dance, but also great shows and musicals, not to mention must-see comedy and all forms of music.

But now renovation works are necessary, so that the Théâtre de Beaulieu can be a worthy host to national and international productions, as well as its valued audiences. This new chapter began in July 2019.

Which moments are most memorable from 65 seasons of shows?

In 65 seasons, Théâtre de Beaulieu audiences will have applauded many artists from different worlds: Jacques Brel, Barbara, Jacques Higelin, Michel Jonasz, Johnny Hallyday, as well as Quincy Jones, Ray Charles and Véronique Sanson.

Audiences both young and old have come through the theatre doors to admire the young artists of La Paternelle, the future big stars in the Prix de Lausanne, and the confident steps of the Béjart Ballet Lausanne.

Of course, the art of theatre has also thrilled audiences. Belmondo in Cyrano, La Comédie Française, Robert Hossein, Line Renaud, Popeck, Robert Lamoureux… They have all walked the boards of Beaulieu.

And musical theatre is not to be outdone, with Cats, Stomp, Mamma Mia and Les Misérables all headline acts.