Utopia Toulouse

Utopia Toulouse was an art-house cinema located at 24 rue Montardy in Toulouse, France, near the Place du Capitole. The venue has a long history dating back to 1687, when it was established as Toulouse's first opera house in a former jeu de paume hall. Over the centuries it served as a concert hall, a learned society meeting place, a political assembly room, a skating rink, and one of Toulouse's first permanent cinemas, the American Cosmograph, in 1907. In 1993, the cinema changed ownership and was renamed Utopia Toulouse, operating as an art-house cinema under that name until 2016, when it changed hands again and reverted to the American Cosmograph name. As Utopia Toulouse, it was known for showing independent, foreign, and documentary films, and for hosting special events and discussions. The cinema is currently active under the name American Cosmograph, as indicated by its official website.

The venue at 24 rue Montardy in Toulouse has a history spanning over three centuries. It began as a jeu de paume (real tennis court) and was converted into Toulouse's first opera house in 1687 by Francine, son-in-law and successor of Lully. The opera was located in the former Jeu-de-Paume hall, with its entrance at 5 rue du Pré-Montardy (now rue du Lieutenant-Colonel-Pélissier) and the main hall backing onto rue Romenguière (now rue Montardy). The new hall, known as the Opéra or Salle de l'Opéra, presented performances that were initially controversial; a 1700 decree banned whistling, clapping, and interrupting performances under penalty of a fine, and in 1716 singers were placed under royal protection. On 11 May 1737, the new Salle du Jeu de Spectacle opened at the Capitole, replacing the old opera for lyrical art. The old hall continued to host smaller shows, including puppet shows and fireworks. On 20 August 1748, a rocket from a fireworks display set the hall on fire, destroying it in a blaze that lasted all night. Only a terracotta bas-relief of Apollo and the Muses by Marc Arcis was saved. The walls survived, and the building was rebuilt a few years later as the Salle du Concert. The Salle du Concert became a favored venue for the Toulouse nobility, hosting lyrical gatherings with music and theater. In 1781, Pilâtre de Rozier created the Musée de Monsieur in Paris, a society of scholars. Inspired by this, Loménie de Brienne, Archbishop of Toulouse, founded the Toulouse 'Musée' in 1784, a learned society for literature, sciences, arts, and music, which met in the Salle du Concert. The society declined after Brienne left Toulouse in 1787 and disappeared during the Revolution. The hall then served various purposes: in 1797 it became the 'Lycée', in 1802 the Athénée, and after a controversy in 1805 it closed, reopening in 1818 as Athénée. Throughout the 19th century, it was used as a political meeting place, performance hall, hotel, and café-restaurant, retaining the name Athénée. Around 1890, it became a Skating-Palais. In 1907, it became one of Toulouse's first permanent cinemas, the American Cosmograph. In 1927 it was transformed into an officers' club, then acquired by the clergy in 1931. In 1949, it returned permanently to cinema under the name Le Rio. In 1993, it changed ownership and became Utopia Toulouse, an art-house cinema. Under this name, it operated for over two decades, showing independent and foreign films. In 2016, it changed ownership again and reverted to the name American Cosmograph. The cinema is currently active under that name, as evidenced by its official website.

• 2016

  Cinema changes ownership again and reverts to the name American Cosmograph.

• 1993

  Cinema changes ownership and becomes Utopia Toulouse.

• 1949

  Cinema returns permanently under the name Le Rio.

• 1907

  American Cosmograph, one of Toulouse's first permanent cinemas, opens.

• 1784

  Loménie de Brienne founds the 'Musée' learned society in the Salle du Concert.

• 1748

  Fire destroys the hall; only a terracotta bas-relief survives.

• 1737

  New Salle du Jeu de Spectacle opens at the Capitole, replacing the old opera.

• 1687

  Toulouse's first opera house established in a former jeu de paume hall.

Art-house cinema offering independent, foreign, and documentary films in central Toulouse.

• Art-house film screenings

• Documentary screenings

• Special events and discussions

1. 1Accueil - Cinéma l'American Cosmograph Toulouse (ex Utopia)american-cosmograph.fr
2. 2Utopia Toulouse - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3American Cosmograph - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org