▁an ▁attempted ▁assass ination ▁of ▁Emperor ▁Napoleon ▁III ▁at ▁the ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁S alle ▁Le ▁Pe let ier ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁January ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁The ▁S alle ▁Le ▁Pe let ier ' s ▁con str icted ▁street ▁access ▁highlight ed ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁separate , ▁more ▁secure ▁entrance ▁for ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁state . ▁This ▁concern ▁and ▁the ▁in ade qu ate ▁facilities ▁and ▁temporary ▁nature ▁of ▁the ▁theatre ▁gave ▁added ▁ur gency ▁to ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁state - fund ed ▁opera ▁house . ▁By ▁March , ▁Haus sm ann ▁settled ▁on ▁R oh ault ▁de ▁Fle ury ' s ▁proposed ▁site ▁off ▁the ▁Bou lev ard ▁des ▁Cap uc ines , ▁although ▁this ▁decision ▁was ▁not ▁announced ▁public ly ▁until ▁ 1 8 6 0 . ▁A ▁new ▁building ▁would ▁help ▁resolve ▁the ▁awk ward ▁convergence ▁of ▁streets ▁at ▁this ▁location , ▁and ▁the ▁site ▁was ▁econom ical ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁land . ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁September ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁an ▁Imperial ▁Dec ree ▁officially ▁designated ▁the ▁site ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁Op éra , ▁which ▁would ▁eventually ▁occup y ▁. ▁By ▁November ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁R oh ault ▁de ▁Fle ury ▁had ▁completed ▁the ▁design ▁for ▁what ▁he ▁thought ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁crow ning ▁work ▁of ▁his ▁career ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁working ▁on ▁a ▁commission ▁from ▁the ▁city ▁to ▁design ▁the ▁fa ç ades ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁buildings ▁l ining ▁the ▁new ▁square ▁to