During the 1980s and 1990s we had season tickets to a variety of local cultural programmes, specifically theatre and ballet in the Grand Théâtre. We also had season tickets to Exploration du Monde.
iIn late 2023 I found a pile of old theatre and ballet programmes. Some were in more or less mint condition, but about half of my little collection was heavily damaged by water.
I decided to try to catalogue the programmes and use them to revisit some memories from the past.
At the time, going to the theatre was quite an outing. Getting dressed up, driving into town, parking, going to cloakroom, buying the programme, taking our seats (we had some of the best seats in the house), having a drink during the entracte, applauding, waiting in line to pick up our coats, going to the parking in the cold and wet, and then making our way home. Occasionally chatting to friends, and very occasionally having a bite to eat in a local restaurant.
And of course the season tickets were during the winter, so there were always questions about going out in the heavy rain, or even risking a 20 km round-trip in the snow (we lived on a small hill, which did not make things any easier).
It must also be remembered that our local theatre hosted both French language and German language theatre, opera and operetta, and ballet. At the time of our season tickets there were in fact two French language season tickets, the Galas Karsenty-Herbert (that later became Spectacles 2000), and an annual program of ‘more serious’ or ‘more challenging’ French theatre.
Above we can see The Grand Théâtre, originally called the Théâtre Municipal, being built in 1962, and below we can see the finished building next to the “red bridge” in
Documentation
Théâtre Municipal Luxembourg 1964-1989
About… Theatre in Luxembourg, December 2007
Through to 1995 French theatre productions presented in the Grand Théâtre were provided by the Parisian theatrical touring company Galas Karsenty-Herbert. After 1995 they were purchased by the company Spectacles 2000.
It’s worth noting that the French gala company brought to Luxembourg the best of French light theatre as it travelled around the French-speaking world. Many of the best authors (Georges Feydeau, Jean Cocteau, Sacha Guitry, and even Molière) were presented by some of the best French actors of the day, e.g. Jean Piat, Françoise Dorin, Maria Pacôme, Jean Lefebvre, Michel Roux, Victor Lanoux, Robert Lamoureux, Sim, Danielle Darrieux, Darry Cowl, Aldo Maccione, Francis Perrin, Michel Galabru, Jean-Claude Brialy, and les chansonniers Jacques Mailhot, Maurice Horgues and Jean-Claude Poirot.
Here we have a list of our programmes that survived the water…
Season 1984-85
Léocadia by Jean Anouilh, directed by Pierre Boutron with Philippe Legendre, Denise Grey and Paul Bisciglia
Season 1985-86
La Berlue by Jean-Jacques Bricaire and Maurice Lasaygues, directed by René Clermont with Jean Bretonnière, Geneviève Kervine and Patrick Préjean
Turlututu by Marcel Achard, directed by Jean-Paul Cisife with Hugues Debiolle, Louis Velle and Axelle Abide
L’Étiquette and L’Age en question by Françoise Dorin, directed by Pierre Dux with Jean Piat, Françoise Dorin, Françoise Christophe and René Camoin
Mais, qui est qui? by Jean Barbier, directed by Michel Roux with Georges Beller, Muriel Montossey, Olivia Dutron and Jean Lefebvre
On m’appelle Émilie by Maria Pacôme, directed by Jean-Luc Moreau with Maria Pacôme, Ginette Garcin and Yves-Marie Maurin
Season 1986-87
Au secours ! Elle me veut by Renée Taylor and Joseph Bologna, directed by Michel Roux with Michel Roux and Micheline Luccioni
Les Voisins du dessus by Laurence Jyl, directed by Jacques Rosny with Stéphane Hillel, Pierre Doris and Marthe Mercadier
Voisin, voisine by Jérôme Chodorov, directed by Pierre Mondy with Marie-José Nat, Victor Lanoux and Yannick Soulier
Le Dindon by Georges Feydeau, directed by Jean Meyer with Jean Piat, Jean-Claude Arnaud, Geneviève Kervine and Laure Sabardin
La Taupe by Robert Lamoureux, directed by Francis Joffo with Magali de Vendeuil, Robert Lamoureux and Pierre Maguelon
Gog et Magog by Gabriel Arout, directed by René Clermont with Roger Pierre, Paulette Dubost and Michel Modo
Season 1987-88
Y a-t-il un otage dans l’immeuble? by Alain Reynaud-Fourton, directed by Maurice Risch with Christian Alers, Liliane Gaudet, Darry Cowl and Franck-Olivier Bonnet
Le Tourniquet by Victor Lanoux, directed by Victor Lanoux with Victor Lanoux and Sim
La Maison du lac by Ernest Thompson, directed by Raymond Gérôme with Danielle Darrieux, Jean-Pierre Aumont and Anne Aor
Les Seins de Lola by Maria Pacôme, directed by Jean-Luc Moreau with Maria Pacôme, Stéphane Hillel and François Pacôme
La Menteuse by Jean-Jacques Bricaire and Maurice Lasaygues, directed by René Clermont with Sabine Paturel, Henri Courseaux and Bernard Lavalette
Le Saut du lit by Ray Cooney et Tony Hilton, adapted by Marcel Mithois, directed by Jean Le Poulain with Dany Carrel and Patrick Perigean
Les Brumes de Manchester by Frédéric Dard, directed by Robert Hossein with Georges Marchal, Geneviève Kervine and Maurice Lamy
Pyjama pour six by Marc Camoletti, directed by Marc Camoletti with Vannick Le Poulain, Maurice Risch and Henri Guybet
Saison 1988-89
Monsieur chasse! by Georges Feydeau, directed by Yves Pignot with Paule Noëlle, Jacques Sereys and Roger Mirmont
Bacchus by Jean Cocteau, directed by Jean Marais with Jean Marais, Nicolas Briançon, Claudine Ancelot and Pierre-Marie Escourrou
L’Illusionniste by Sacha Guitry, directed by Jean-Luc Moreau with Jean-Claude Brialy, Corinne Le Poulain, Annie Savarin, Jacques Ramade and Jean-Pierre Rambal
L’Âge en question by Françoise Dorin, directed by Jean Piat with Françoise Dorin and Jean Piat
Fleur de cactus by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Grédy, directed by Jacques Rosny with Jacques Rosny, Virginie Ledieu, Sophie Desmarets and Marc Fayet
Les Cahiers tango by Françoise Dorin, directed by Andreas Voutsinas with Guy Tréjan, Jacques Jouanneau, Nathalie Nattier and Michel Le Royer
Monsieur Masure by Claude Magnier, directed by Michel Roux with Michel Roux, Pierre Vernier and Elyane Borras
Saison 1989-90
La Ritournelle by Victor Lanoux, directed by Victor Lanoux with Sim, Micheline Boudet, Teddy Bilis and Pierre Cassignard
Le Moulin de la Galette by Marcel Achard, directed by Jacques Rosny and Michel Duchaussoy with Annick Blancheteau, Jacques Rosny and Antonella Lualdi
Avanti! by Samuel A. Taylor, directed by Pierre Mondy with Françoise Viau, Serge Maillat, Aldo Maccione and Alberto Maccione
Arsenic et vieilles dentelles by Joseph Kesselring, directed by Jean-Luc Tardieu with Denise Grey, Suzanne Grey, Jean Bretonnière and Jacques Harden
In addition, and not included in the official program, there was L’Oreille en Coin with Jacques Mailhot, Maurice Horgues and Jean-Claude Poirot
Saison 1990-91
Et moi… et moi! by Maria Pacôme, directed by Jean-Luc Moreau with Maria Pacôme, Marie-France Mignal and François Pacôme
Le Médecin volant, Sganarelle ou le Cocu imaginaire and Les Précieuses ridicules by Molière, directed by Francis Perrin with Francis Perrin and Christine Reverho and Olivia Dutron
La Facture (théâtre) by Françoise Dorin, directed by Raymond Gérôme with Claude Nicot, Serge Lama, Serge Maillat and Agnès Soral
De Sacha à Guitry by Sacha Guitry, directed by Jacques Mauclair with Jean Piat
Monsieur Amédée by Alain Reynaud-Fourton, directed by Alain Reynaud-Fourton with Michel Galabru, Éric Reynaud-Fourton, Annie Jouzier and Jean-Claude de Goros
Même heure l’année prochaine by Bernard Slade, directed by Roger Vadim with Victor Lanoux and Marie-Christine Barrault
Saison 1991-92
L’Amour foot by Robert Lamoureux, directed by Francis Joffo with Robert Lamoureux, Magali de Vendeuil, Jacques Ciron and Liliane Ponzio
Les Enfants d’Édouard by Marc-Gilbert Sauvajon, directed by Jean-Luc Moreau with Marthe Mercadier, David Brécourt, Jean Bretonnière and Robert Party
Fregoli by Patrick Rambaud and Bernard Haller, directed by Jérôme Savary with Bernard Haller, Jacques Alric and Marc Dudicourt
Season 1993-94
Le Canard à l’orange by William Douglas-Home, directed by Pierre Mondy and Alain Lionel with Michel Roux, Yolande Folliot, Mado Maurin and Alain Lionel
Bobosse by André Roussin, directed by Stéphane Hillel with Gérard Rinaldi, Philippe Brizard, Valérie Rojan and Élisa Maillot
La Jalousie by Sacha Guitry, directed by Jean-Claude Brialy with Jean-Claude Brialy, Nathalie Nattier, Serge Maillat and Annie Severn
Spectacles 2000
Season 1995-96
Le Comédien by Sacha Guitry, directed by Annick Blancheteau, with Jean-Pierre Darras, Georges Descrieres and Alexandra Mercouroff
On Purge Bébé and Feu la Mère de Madame by Georges Fardeau, directed by Bernard Murat with Pierre Richard and Darry Cowl
Monsieur de Saint Futile by Françoise Dorin, directed by Jean-Luc Moreau, with Jean-Claude Brialy and Urbain Cancelier
Also (season unknown)
Si je peux me permettre... by Robert Lamoureux, directed by Francis Joffo, with Robert Lamoureux and Jacques Balutin
French theatre (other than Galas Kapsenty-Herbert)
Season 1986-87
Le Siège d’Ostende by Michel de Ghelderode and produced by the Théâtre du Residence Palace.
Le Mariage de Mademoiselle Beulemans by Fernand Wicheler et Frantz Fonson and produced by Le Théâtre Royal des Galeries and La Compagnie des Galeries. Directed by Lucien Fonson with Veronique Biefnot, Robert Roanne and Mimi Bedin
Season 1988-89
Macbeth by William Shakespeare and produced by The Royal Exchange Theatre Company. Directed by Braham Murray, with David Threlfall, Frances Barber and John Watts
Season 1989-88
A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen and produced by The Royal Exchange Theatre Company. Directed by Gregory Hersov, with Brenda Blethyn, Tom Higgens and David Horovitch
Season 1992-93
8 February 1993 Ruy Blas a tragic drama by Victor Hugo and produced by Théâtre National de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées. Directed by Dominique Blondeau, with Benoit Valles, Jacques Rosner and Jean-Claude Dreyfus
Spring 1993 (probable) “Demain une fenêtre sur rue…” burlesque comedy, in 3 acts by Jean-Claude Grumberg, and produced by Centre national de création/Orléans/Loiret. Directed by Jean-Paul Roussillon with Myriam Boyer, Catherine Ferran and Olga Grumberg
Season 1993-94
Le Dîner de cons by Francis Veber and produced by Atelier Théâtre Actual. Directed by Pierre Mondy, with Michel Roux and Jacques Villeret
Les Amants Puérils by Fernand Crommelynck and produced by Théâtre National de la Communauté Française de Belgique. Directed by Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser, with Dominique Baeyens, Muriel Bersy and Jacques Burgraeve
Date unknown
Henri IV by Pirandello and produced by Théâtre de l’Atelier. Directed by Armand Delcampe, with Laurent Terzieff, Pascale de Boysson and Victor Garrivier
La Princesse Maleine by Maurice Maeterlinck and produced by the Théâtre National de Belgique. Directed by Jean-Claude Drouot, with Pierre Laroche, Janine Godinas and Françoise Maertens
La cerise sur le gâteau by Sylvie Joly and produced by Alex Lutz
Ballet and dance
Season 1987-88
Nederlands Dans Theater presented L’histoire du soldat choreography by Jiri Kylian, music by Igor Stravinsky, Arenal choreography by Nacho Duato, music by María del Mar Bonet, and Synaphai choreography by Nacho Duato, music by Iannis Xenakis + Vangelis
Season 1988-89
3 October 1988 Ballet de Stuttgart presented Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung (The Taming of the Shrew) choreography by John Cranko, with Alex Ursula, Beatriz de Almeida, Sabine Bartels and Thierry Guiderdoni
Season 1990-91
23 January 1991 Ballet de Stuttgart presented Wien, Wien, nur du allein choreography by Maurice Béjart, with Marcia Haydée, Richard Cragun and Catherine Batcheller
Saison 1992-93
Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris presented Giselle
Season 1993-94
5 April 1994 Les Grands Ballets Canadiens presented Quinconce choreography by Mark Morris and music by Gaetano Donizetti, Urlicht-1976 choreography by William Forsyth Yvonne Catalan et Louis Robitaille, Rassemblement-1990 choreography by Nacho Duato, and Sinfonietta choreography by G.Salbaing
Sometime after-1993 The Pavlo Virsky State … Academic Dance Ensemble…
1st part – In Peace and Harmony, Devyatka, Povzunets (a Cossack comedy dance), Khmer, Dance with Tambourines, Russian Suite
2nd part – The Carpathians, Ukrainian Ritual Dance “Green Years”, Zaporozhtsy (probably National Ukrainian dance of Cossacks), Vishivalnitsy (Embroideresses), Sailors Dance (Moriaky), Under the Cherry Tree (Oi, Pid Vishneiu), Gopak
Season 1996-97
7 May 1997 The Ballet National de Nancy et de Lorraine presented La Sylphide, choreography by Pierre Lacotte, with Marine Castel, Andreï Fedotov and Anne Salmon
We also saw the Ballet Théâtre Française de Nancy, Béjart Ballet Lausanne, the Ballet et l’Orchestre de l’Opera de Varsovie, Bolshoi & Kirov Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater 2, Das Hamburger Ballett, ZürcherBallett, …
