HAMBURG STATE OPERA

Description

Essentials about the Hamburg State Opera in brief

The Hamburg State Opera (Hamburgische Staatsoper) is one of the world’s leading opera houses. The Hamburg Opera was the first public opera house in Germany. Throughout its history, it has hosted some of the world’s most famous conductors, musicians and singers, such as Georg Philipp Telemann, Georg Friedrich Händel, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and Gustav Mahler. Above all, the opera is well known for its world-class ballet under the artistic direction of John Neumeier and for its General Music Director Kent Nagano.

The history of the Hamburg State Opera

The Hamburg Opera was founded on 2 January 1678 under the name “Opern-Theatrum” as the first public opera house in Germany. The first stage was housed in a long wooden building at the corner of Gänsemarkt and Jungfernstieg, which was built in 1677 by the Italian architect Girolamo Sartorio. For the opening the Singspiel Adam und Eva oder Der Erschaffene, Gefallene und Aufgerichtete Mensch was performed by Johann Theile. This religious subject was a concession to the Hamburg priesthood, which was influenced by Pietism and had fiercely opposed this secular institution.

From the end of the 17th to the middle of the 18th century, the Hamburg Opera played a leading role in the musical world of Europe. Above all, the performance of works by the important composers Reinhard Keiser, Georg Philipp Telemann and Georg Friedrich Händel contributed to the importance of the opera house. During his Hamburg years, Händel was also employed as a violinist and harpsichordist at the opera. His first opera Almira had its premiere here in 1705.

In 1738 the privately run house was forced to close due to mismanagement and declining popularity. From 1767 to 1769 the Hamburg National Theater took over the management of the house. The dramaturge of the stage was Lessing, who premiered Minna von Barnhelm here in 1767. Schiller’s drama Don Carlos also had its premiere here in 1787.

In 1827 the stage was moved to a new building in Dammtorstraße as a municipal theatre. The simple building, designed by Carl Ludwig Wimmel, offered space for 2,500 spectators. The acoustics in particular set the new building apart from other opera houses of its time. The Hamburg Opera thus further expanded its international reputation. However, since Wimmel’s classicist façade appeared too sober to many contemporaries, the building was given a new representative façade by Martin Haller in 1873/1874.

Between 1874 and 1897 the director of the Stadttheater, Bernhard Pollini, turned the building into an institution known throughout Europe. He staged 175 premieres and engaged important singers and conductors who raised the house to a high artistic level. World-renowned composers such as Puccini and Tchaikovsky were invited to conduct their own works. In 1891, Pollini appointed Gustav Mahler as first Kapellmeister (bandmaster).

In 1925, the Hamburg Parliament approved the reconstruction of the stage house, which is still in use today. In 1934, during the Nazi-era, the stage was renamed again, this time to Hamburg State Opera, which is still in use today. During a bombing raid in August 1943, the auditorium was completely destroyed, only the stage was spared. In the years after the Second World War, war damages were repaired and until 1955 a new auditorium with approximately 1,700 seats was built according to Gerhard Weber’s plans, which was opened with a performance of Mozart’s Magic Flute. In 2004, a new factory building was completed behind the main building with three rehearsal stages.