[1] Adjacent to the opera house, the urban planning included also the construction of the Royal Intendant palace by architect Barthélemy Bourdet.

[citation needed] The construction of the opera house extended from 1732 to 1752, the War of the Austrian Succession interrupting the works for eight years.

[citation needed] During the French Revolution, a guillotine for executions was erected on the parvise of the opera house, the Comedy Square.

In 1858, local sculptor Charles Pêtre, then member of the School of Metz artistic movement, adorned its facade with allegories of Tragedy, Inspiration, Lyric Poetry, Comedy, and Music.

[citation needed] Nineteenth century performances represented the work of both the major dramatists of the era (e.g., Hernani by Victor Hugo appearing just after its Paris premiere) and the major opera composers such as Weber, Vincenzo Bellini, and Donizetti, as well as the grand operas of Meyerbeer, Fromental Halévy, and Daniel Auber.