History of the Lido de Paris A History of the Lido
Ideally located on the Champs-Élysées, the Lido has become famous partly due to its sumptuous interior decoration, directly inspired by the romanticism of the Italian city of Venice and its famous beach after which the cabaret is named.
Popular swims and dinner shows
In 1933, the Lido – then known as "La Plage de Paris" – was forced to close due to financial problems. Three years later, Léon Volterra, a famous show producer and director of French venues, took over the place and bet on completely transforming it by replacing the swimming pool with a large performance hall where all of Paris could enjoy a dinner show.
The success was immediate, and French and international personalities loved to be seen there. The cabaret thus became, along with the Moulin Rouge, the emblem of wild Parisian nights. On June 7, 1941, while Paris was occupied by the Germans, the Spanish ambassador José Félix de Lequerica invited the French writer Paul Morand, as well as actress Arletty and Josée Laval. Their presence made headlines and provided the cabaret with immense publicity. Five years later, the Italian-born brothers Joseph and Louis Clerico bought the Lido, embarked on huge renovation projects for the hall, and ultimately inaugurated their very first show titled Sans rimes ni raison. Building on their success, they simultaneously developed the "dinner show" formula, which would later be adopted in cabarets around the world.
In 1977, with the Lido's success still intact, the new director Jean-Robert Boudre decided to expand his cabaret by acquiring an additional 6,000 m² of space. He had a panoramic hall built over two levels with a capacity of 1,150 spectators. Another significant innovation: an elevator system allows the 300 guests on the ground floor to lower by 80cm into the ground after dinner, in order to improve their visibility and fully enjoy the Lido show. The post-war years saw personalities from the world of cinema and music, such as Laurel and Hardy and the Kessler sisters, later joined by Shirley MacLaine and Elton John, grace the stage of the Lido.
A success named "Bluebell Girls"
Founded in 1932 by one of the greatest dancers of the time, Margaret Kelly – known as Miss Bluebell because of the color of her eyes – the Bluebell Girls joined the Lido in 1948. All the members of this troupe had received training in classical dance but had the particularity of being too tall to join a ballet company. Their height, however, became a major asset as it allowed them to join the Lido family, which has a minimum height requirement of 1.75m.
The elongated silhouettes and costumes as sexy as they are extravagant of the Bluebell Girls make women dream and men salivate, embodying with elegance and sex appeal the Parisian woman celebrated worldwide. These dancers have elevated cabaret to one of the must-visit places of Parisian nights. Since 1946, nearly 10,000 dancers have graced the stage of the Lido and continue to offer every evening a colorful show whose choreography, costumes, and light displays are constantly renewed. In 2010, the Bluebell Girls celebrated the centenary of Margaret Kelly's birth. Born in June 1910 in the city of Dublin, this Irish choreographer significantly contributed to the fabulous success of the troupe and the cabaret.
The Lido of Paris is no more, long live the Lido 2 Paris
The legendary Lido of Paris has given way to a whole new era under the name Lido 2 Paris. Moving away from its past as a revue-show, it now embraces a bold ambition: to make the Champs-Élysées the new Broadway in Paris. With a vision resolutely focused on the performing arts, the Lido 2 Paris now offers major musicals in their original version, thus attracting an international audience eager for theatrical discoveries. The sumptuous sets and technological prowess continue to captivate, but this time, it is the magic of musicals that dazzles the spectators. Thanks to a skillful blend of French tradition and international influences, the Lido 2 Paris has become a must-visit destination for all stage lovers in search of a unique experience in the heart of the French capital.