3-071-237 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Burning of the Municipal Theatre at Nice: the theatre before the fire, 1881. 'A terrible disaster, which has caused the loss of nearly a hundred lives, took place at Nice on the Wednesday night of last week. The Municipal Theatre, at the opera representation of "Lucia di Lammermoor," by a special company of performers from Italy, with Signora Bianca Donadio for "prima donna," was occupied by a large audience...The Municipal Theatre of Nice [designed by Brunati and Perotti,] was built many years ago, when that town belonged to the Kingdom of Sardinia, before its annexation to the French Empire in 1859. It received a yearly grant of £4000 from the civic municipality of Nice. The interior was constructed entirely of wood, and only the outer walls are left. The front of the building faced the Church of St. Francis de Paul, in the street of that name; but one end extended to the Quai de Midi'. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.