It was Voltaire's own theatrical productions in the Château de Ferney, in 1759, that initiated the theatrical tradition in Geneva. In 1783, the Théâtre de Neuve was built and this was replaced by the present Grand Théâtre de Genève, designed in the style of the Second Empire and directly inspired by the Paris Opera House. Today, the 1,500-seat theatre is extremely active, with strong opera, ballet and choral seasons.

The Geneva Tourist Office and weekly guide Genève Agenda (website: www.geneve-tourisme.ch) provide information on cultural events and performances in the city.

Tickets for most events can be booked from Ticket Corner (tel: 0900 800 800, in Switzerland only; website: www.ticketcorner.com) or Resaplus (tel: 0900 552 333, in Switzerland only; website: www.resaplus.ch).

Music: Since September 2004 Marek Janowski has been the artistic director of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) (tel: (022) 807 0000; website: www.osr.ch). The majority of productions are performed in the prestigious Victoria Hall, Rue du Général-Dufour 14 (tel: (022) 418 3500), which welcomes various other local ensembles, including the Geneva Chamber Music Orchestra (website: www.locg.ch) as well as international orchestras and performers. The building was financed by the British Consul General, Daniel Fitzgerald Barton, and named after Queen Victoria. It was originally built for the consul's orchestra, L'Harmonie Nautique (website: www.harmonie-nautique.ch), which played there during the boating season, from 1891-93, and was given to the city in 1904. Another popular venue for the OSR is the Grand Théâtre, Boulevard du Théâtre 11 (tel: (022) 418 3000; website: www.geneveopera.ch). The orchestral season runs from September to June and the repertoire ranges from classical to contemporary.

The climax of the musical year is the Geneva International Musical Competition (formerly the International Competition for Musical Performers), a contest for young international musicians. Many important concerts are given by students at the Conservatoire de Musique, Rue Petitot 8 (tel: (022) 319 6060; website: www.cmusge.ch).

There are about eight major opera productions per year, performed largely at the Grand Théâtre but also at the Salle Théodore Turrettini, Place des Volontaires 2, in the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices (tel: (022) 322 1220; website: www.bfm.ch), a former factory on the banks of the River Rhône.

Theatre: Geneva has some 40 theatres, whose repertoires range from classical to avant-garde. While plays are normally in French, there are several popular English-language amateur groups. The main venue is the Comédie de Genève, Boulevard des Philosophes 6 (tel: (022) 320 5001; website: www.comedie.ch), which has a classical and contemporary repertoire. The Théâtre Le Poche-Genève, Rue du Cheval-Blanc 7 (tel: (022) 310 3759; website: www.lepoche.ch), founded in 1978, specialises in contemporary drama.

Dance: The Ballet du Grand Théâtre (tel: (022) 418 3000; website: www.geneveopera.ch) has a varied repertory that ranges from neoclassical to contemporary. In addition to the main ballet season from September to June, the company organises a number of thematic evenings at the Grand Théâtre, Boulevard du Théâtre 11 (tel: (022) 418 3000), and in local theatres, such as the Théâtre du Loup, Chemin de la Gravière 10 (tel: (022) 301 3100; website: www.theatreduloup.ch). The choir of the Grand Théâtre regularly participates in the ballet and opera seasons.

Film: Geneva is the cinema capital of French-speaking Switzerland. Homegrown stars include Jean-Luc Bideau, whose career was launched by Swiss director Alain Tanner in La Salamandre (1971). The most well known, among over 30 cinemas (website: http://geneve.cine.ch), are the seven-screen Pathé Rialto, 33 James-Fazy (tel: 0901 102 030; website: www.pathe.ch), and the 13-screen Pathé Balexert, 27 Avenue Louis-Casaï (tel: (022) 979 0100; website: www.pathe.ch). There are also many art house cinemas, including Les Scala, Rue des Eaux-Vives 23 (tel: (022) 736 0422; website: www.les-scala.ch), and CAC Voltaire, 16 Rue du Général-Dufour (tel: (022) 320 7878). Many English-language films are shown in their original version (VO) and French-language versions often have English subtitles. Movies recently shot in Geneva include Syriana (2005) with Georges Clooney.

Literary Notes: Geneva has inspired some of Europe's greatest philosophers and writers. Paris-born François-Marie Arouet Voltaire (1694-1778) fled from the persecution of the French Church and State to arrive in Geneva in 1755. He stayed in Les Délices, which he fondly described as 'the palace of a philosopher with the garden of an epicure.' The mansion is now a documentation centre, the Institut et Musée Voltaire, Rue des Délices 25 (tel: (022) 344 7133; website: www.ville-ge.ch). In Candide (1759), Voltaire described the crushing injustices of the world. An equally convincing argument for freedom and justice came in the form of The Social Contract (1762), by Geneva-born Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). Mary and Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron's stay in Geneva gave rise to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818). The city also inspired actor Sir Peter Ustinov; his novel, Monsieur René (1999), is set in modern Geneva.