Impérial Bell

Impérial Bell is a historic performance venue located on rue Saint-Joseph in the Saint-Roch neighbourhood of Québec City, Quebec, Canada. With a standing capacity of 900 people, it is one of the city's principal mid-sized concert halls, hosting a varied programme of music, comedy, cabaret, and community events. The venue is owned by BLEUFEU, the organisation that also operates the Festival d'été de Québec. The site's history reaches back to the early 20th century. Between 1904 and 1910 a first performance space called the Palais royal opened on the location, with 400 seats and a cinema projector. In 1912–1913 the building was sold and renamed Théâtre des familles. In 1917 the owner Arthur Drapeau had a new, richly ornamented building constructed in the style of North American cinemas of the period. A fire destroyed the theatre in 1933; it was rebuilt and took the name Cinéma de Paris. In 1971 it became Midi-minuit and specialised in erotic films, a period when the surrounding neighbourhood was run-down and had a poor reputation. The building was converted into a performance hall in 1996 under the name Folies de Paris, presenting cabaret-style shows. In 2003 it was transformed once more and renamed Impérial de Québec. In February 2015 the Festival d'été de Québec, in partnership with Bell, announced that it had become owner of the venue, which was then renamed Impérial Bell. In the following years the new owner changed the décor and brand image of the hall to align it with a more general audience. In 2020 the venue received a public grant of one million dollars for building work and equipment modernisation. Since February 2022 the organisation overseeing both the Festival d'été de Québec and Impérial Bell has been known as BLEUFEU. Today Impérial Bell operates as a live entertainment brand under BLEUFEU, with a busy calendar of concerts, comedy nights, tribute shows, and recurring events such as the Punch Club and the Ligue d'improvisation musicale de Québec. Its programming spans francophone and anglophone artists and a wide range of genres, reflecting its role as a general-audience venue in the heart of Québec City.

The site of the Impérial Bell on rue Saint-Joseph in the Saint-Roch district of Québec City has hosted entertainment for more than a century. Between 1904 and 1910, a first performance venue called the Palais royal opened there. It had 400 seats and was equipped with a cinema projector, making it part of the early cinema and variety circuit in the city. In 1912–1913 the building was sold and renamed Théâtre des familles. In 1917, the owner Arthur Drapeau had a new building constructed, richly ornamented in the style of North American cinemas of the era. This building defined the site for decades. In 1933, a fire destroyed the theatre. It was rebuilt and took the name Cinéma de Paris. In 1971, the cinema was renamed Midi-minuit and specialised in erotic films. This period coincided with the decline of the surrounding Saint-Roch neighbourhood, which was then dilapidated and had a poor reputation. In 1996, the building was transformed into a performance hall and named Folies de Paris, presenting cabaret-style shows. In 2003, it was transformed again and became Impérial de Québec. In February 2015, the Festival d'été de Québec, in partnership with Bell, announced that it had become the owner of the venue, which was renamed Impérial Bell. In the following years, the new owner changed the décor and brand image of the hall to align it with a more general audience. In 2020, the venue received a public grant of one million dollars to carry out building work and modernise its equipment. Since February 2022, the organisation that oversees both the Festival d'été de Québec and Impérial Bell has been called BLEUFEU. The venue has a capacity of 900 people in general admission. Its programming includes concerts, comedy, tribute acts, and recurring events such as the Punch Club and the Ligue d'improvisation musicale de Québec, with a mix of francophone and anglophone artists.

• 2022

  The organisation overseeing the Festival d'été de Québec and Impérial Bell takes the name BLEUFEU.

• 2020

  Venue receives a public grant of one million dollars for building work and equipment modernisation.

• 2015

  Festival d'été de Québec, in partnership with Bell, becomes owner; venue renamed Impérial Bell.

• 2003

  Venue transformed again and renamed Impérial de Québec.

• 1996

  Building converted into a performance hall named Folies de Paris, presenting cabaret shows.

• 1971

  Cinema renamed Midi-minuit and specialises in erotic films.

• 1933

  Fire destroys the theatre; it is rebuilt and renamed Cinéma de Paris.

• 1917

  Owner Arthur Drapeau builds a new, richly ornamented theatre in the style of North American cinemas.

• 1912

  Building sold and renamed Théâtre des familles.

• 1904

  First performance venue, the Palais royal, opens on the site with 400 seats and a cinema projector.

Mid-sized, general-audience historic performance venue in Québec City, owned by BLEUFEU.

• Live music concerts

• Comedy shows

• Cabaret shows

• Tribute shows

• Punch Club

• Ligue d'improvisation musicale de Québec

1. 1Impérial Bell official websiteimperialbell.com
2. 2Impérial Bell – Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org
3. 3Impérial Bell – Wikidatawikidata.org