Painter, art critic, stage designer, Emile César Victor Perrin quickly became renowned in the artistic world. Soon after the 1848 Revolution, Minister Alexandre-Auguste Ledru-Rollin appointed him at the Opéra-Comique board. He became Director of the institution from 1848 to 1857, then briefly in 1862, and Director of the Paris Opera in December 1862. In 1866 he worked as both Administrator of the theatre and entrepreneur. At this time, the Paris Opera enjoyed few years of prosperity. Many works entered the repertoire, such as L’Africaine by Meyerbeer (1865), Don Carlos by Verdi (1866), Hamlet by Ambroise Thomas (1868), Faust by Gounod (1869) and Coppélia by Delibes (1870).
During the Franco-Prussian war, Emile Perrin couldn’t lead the house the way he intended. He decided to resign in September, 1870, although his term was supposed to run until 1877. He continued to manage the institution until he was suspended in May, 1871. The same year he entered the Comédie Française as Administrator, a position he occupied until his death.