Opéra de Massy

A renowned opera house in the heart of the suburbs—if no one had imagined it, Massy made it happen. Nicknamed the “opera in the middle of the housing projects,” the Opéra de Massy holds the title of the youngest opera house in France. On October 9, 1993, more than 800 curious visitors gathered to attend the memorable performance of the celebrated Spanish mezzo‑soprano Teresa Berganza, who performed Liszt to inaugurate this new venue rising among residential buildings. In just three months after this first performance, over 22,000 people flocked to discover the space. The challenge was met—and continues to thrive, unwavering, even three decades later.

A resolutely modern opera house

Born three years after the Opéra Bastille in Paris and more than 200 years after the Royal Opera House in Versailles, the Opéra de Massy stands out for its singular design. It blends seamlessly into a vast 14,200‑square‑meter cultural complex that also includes the Jean‑Cocteau Media Library, home to a collection of 105,000 documents, as well as the municipal cinema Cinémassy.

The Opéra de Massy features several spaces offering a complete artistic experience. The main hall, with 880 seats, includes a large stage, sound and lighting control rooms, projection equipment, and dressing rooms for 190 people. The auditorium offers 130 seats. The Messiaen Hall, dedicated to rehearsals, is complemented by two dance studios. Three reception rooms complete the setting, along with a mezzanine bar and an exhibition mezzanine. Finally, there is the Offenbach Hall, a versatile space with an adaptable stage suitable for various artistic events.

Lyric art accessible to all

This unique venue has forged a distinctive identity by offering a high‑quality program that balances respect for the classical repertoire with openness to contemporary creation. As the first institution to receive the State’s “scène conventionnée lyrique” label and a member of the Réunion des Opéras de France, it has established itself as a major center for artistic production.

The Opéra de Massy provides local residents with privileged access to lyric art. Each season, thousands of spectators from Massy, Essonne, and the southern Paris region have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the great works of the operatic repertoire. These productions—often created in collaboration with other prestigious French venues—feature world‑renowned artists as well as promising young talents.

But that’s not all. The cultural outreach department is deeply committed to fostering public interest in the performing arts. It develops a wide range of initiatives, including backstage tours, exhibitions, open rehearsals, debates, meet‑and‑greets with artists, talks about the season’s program, and off‑site concerts.

Let yourself be carried away by this extraordinary venue and by all the opera houses that shape the Paris Region.