Built entirely of wood, which is painted in faux marble to represent stone, the Opéra has excellent acoustics and represents one of the finest examples of neo-classical decoration. It was also designed to be used as a banqueting hall. The theme of the decoration is related to Apollo and the Olympian deities. The decoration of the Opéra was directed by Augustin Pajou. The Opéra Royale de Versailles was converted for the use of the Sénat of the Third Republic, ca. 1876-1879. The theater was restored in 1952-1957 and has been used for state functions as well as a variety of operatic and musical events.