Sylvan theater


A sylvan theater—sometimes called a greenery theater —is a type of outdoor theater situated in a wooded setting. Often adorned with classical motifs, a sylvan theater may substitute a simple green lawn for built seating and can include elaborate arrangements of shrubs, flowers and other greenery. These alfresco stages may be features of grand formal gardens or parks, or of more intimate settings, and may be intended for either public or private use.

History of sylvan theaters

A notable early example of a sylvan theater was the Bosquet du Théâtre d’Eau — one of the 14 celebrated bosquet in the Gardens of the Palace of Versailles near Paris. The central feature of this bosquet, which was designed for King Louis XIV by Le Nôtre between 1671 and 1674, was the auditorium-like theater sided by three tiers of turf seating that faced a stage decorated with four fountains alternating with three radiating cascades. As part of the replantation of the gardens ordered by King Louis XVI during the winter of 1774-75, the Bosquet du Théâtre d’Eau was destroyed and replaced with an unadorned garden.

Notable sylvan theaters

Europe