A musical interlude was organized on April 10, 2020 by the Opera, in the courtyard of the Saint-André hospital in Bordeaux -

Gil Bommelaere

  • Since the law of 8 Ventôse of the year XII under Napoleon, in 1804, the Hospices de Bordeaux have owned the Grand-Théâtre, even if it is the town hall that manages the cultural establishment.

  • The two structures signed an agreement on Wednesday to get closer because until now they have never worked together.

  • It was the Covid-19 epidemic that brought them together, with a concert at Saint-André hospital in April 2020, in full confinement.

Exceptionally, the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux reopened its doors this Wednesday.

Unfortunately not for a concert or an opera, but to sign an agreement that will bring the cultural establishment closer to the Bordeaux University Hospital.

The director of the Bordeaux University Hospital Yann Bubien (in the foreground) and the director of the Bordeaux Opera Mark Minkowski (in the center), have signed an agreement to bring the two establishments together - Mickaël Bosredon / 20 Minutes

The two structures have historical links.

The Grand-Théâtre has in fact been owned by the Bordeaux University Hospital since… Napoleon.

But curiously, they hardly exchanged, until the Covid-19 crisis.

"The patients listened to us at the windows"

"It was on 8 Ventôse of the year XII [in February 1804 under Napoleon] that a law allowed the Hospices de Bordeaux to become owners of the Grand-Théâtre", recalls the director of the CHU Yann Bubien.

The Hospices however granted the city of Bordeaux the use of the theater by a renewable lease of 99 years, still in force.

"We are not intended to take care of an opera, so it is the town hall that manages it, but we still own the walls", says Yann Bubien.

Despite this, on his arrival at the head of the Bordeaux University Hospital a year and a half ago, the CHU director realizes that there was "no partnership" between his establishment and the Bordeaux opera house.

“I then called the directors of the Grand-Théâtre Olivier Lombardie and Mark Minkowski to formalize things.

And then the Covid-19 arrived ... This is where Mark Minkowski suggested that I organize a concert for health professionals and patients, on April 10, 2020, in full confinement, in the cloister of the hospital Saint-André in Bordeaux.

It was the first event we created together.

“We were in the midst of the epidemic,” recalls Mark Minkowski.

It was a very emotional moment, in a magnificent site, with patients who listened to us at the windows, caregivers who paraded in the cloister… ”

Free seats for staff and concerts on CHU sites

Discussions have continued since, notably with another concert in the courtyard of the Pellegrin hospital in June.

“But we said to ourselves that we had to go further, which is why this three-year agreement will allow us to have effective relations,” explains Yann Bubien.

In particular, it provides for the reception "twice a year of all our interns within the Opera, free places for the staff of the CHU, and concerts organized on the sites of the CHU: Pellegrin, Haut-Lévêque, Saint-André and in the hotel of Saint-Marc cours d'Albret which we are going to completely redo.

New concerts will be organized at the CHU for the Fête de la musique.

It is therefore the Covid-19 which "made it possible to launch the operations".

At the same time, the CHU brought its medical expertise to the artists of the Grand-Théâtre.

"We carried out all the tests for musicians and singers, who regularly need to be tested to perform their recordings and rehearsals, as for concerts," says Yann Bubien.

"And I hope that the CHU will also accompany us on the vaccination", slips Mark Minkowski, which could be synonymous with recovery for his establishment.

Our Bordeaux dossier

In the meantime, the Grand-Théâtre remains active.

“We're still working,” insists Mark Minkowski, “for example, we have just finished a magnificent recording with baritone Florian Sempey and the opera orchestra, we have done recorded and broadcast concerts, and the Bordeaux Aquitaine National Orchestra has been called at the last minute by the Champs-Elysées theater for a recording, because the Luxembourg orchestra was banned from traveling.

But nothing will replace concerts.

Because the director of the Grand-Théâtre reminds us: “We live by bringing together audiences.

"

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  • Covid 19

  • Hospital

  • Coronavirus

  • Aquitaine

  • Culture

  • Opera

  • Bordeaux