At the start of the XXth century, a Committee for Beethoven Monument was set up.It’s objective was the realisation of a monument in honour of Beethoven in the centre of Paris. A decree by the President of the Republic, dated December 20th 1909, oversaw it’s installation at Ranelagh, Paris. But administrative complications deprived the capital of this monument which was […]
Napoléon III decided to construct a new opera in 1860. Charles Garnier was just 35 and still unknown but won the commission in 1861, against 170 other candidates. Charles Garnier designed the opera and also all the ornamentation. On the face are four sculptures: dance, instramental music, lyrical drama and harmony. Also the busts which honour the great musicians: Beethoven, Mozart, […]
Emile-Antoine Bourdelle was born on October 30th 1861 at Montauban. At the age of 15 he entered the Beaux Arts, at Toulouse. In 1884 Bourdelle went up to Paris. In 1888, the artist was 27 years old, and created his first piece on Beethoven, a theme on which he worked throughout his life. From 1893 to 1908, he was practitioner to […]
A small street in Paris is named “Rue Beethoven”. It’s in the 16th arrondissement, between the ‘Avenue du Président Kennedy’ and the ‘Boulevard Delessert’ (métro : Passy, line 6). It’s 117 metres long and 15 metres wide, and finished with a flight of steps at the north end, which lead to ‘Boulevard Delessert’. The Rue Beethoven was given this name on August 24th 1864. […]
The French Beethoven Association is responsible for this bust of Beethoven in the Luxemburg Gardens in Paris. It was unveiled on Thursday October 26th 1978, in the presence of the president of the Senat. At this unveiling, Maurice Shumann, a member of the French Academy and Vice-President of the Senat, made a speech in the presence of Madame Bufet-Bourdelle. Installed […]