Les Folies-Bergère (Illustration for J.K. Huysmans’ “Croquis Parisiens” 1880)

Description

The Folies-Bergère was a popular music hall. These entertainment palaces were less expensive than the theater, and put on vaudeville or comedy acts. The Folies-Bergère began in 1860 as a department store for bedding. Three years later, because of its location near the "grands boulevards", it added a room in the back of the store for variety shows. By the end of the decade the whole establishment had become a music hall. The first part of its name is from its 18th-century predecessor, the 'folie,' an open-air dance spot. The second portion of its name comes from a nearby street, the rue Bergère.