National theatre of France.
The world's longest-established national theatre, it was founded in 1680 by the merger of two theatrical companies in Paris, one of them the troupe that had worked under Molière . The French Revolution divided the company's loyalties, and the revolution's supporters, led by Napoleon in 1812, its members share responsibilities and profits. Its illustrious actors have included {{link=Bernhardt, Sarah">Sarah Bernhardt and Jean-Louis Barrault . The theatre is known for productions of the French classics, though it also performs contemporary plays.