Stuttgart State Opera

By Laura Burmeister

The State Opera in Stuttgart, Baden-Wuerttemberg, is one of Europe’s foremost opera houses and a branch of Europe’s largest tripartite theatre. It can seat up to 1404 people and was host of many renowned chief conductors like Niccolò Jommelli, Rudolf Zumsteeg, Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Carlos Kleiber, Vaclav Neumann, Silvio Varviso and Riccardo Chailly.

In the 17th century, the State Opera was called “Neues Lusthaus”, which translates to “new desire house”. It used to be an old renaissance building, located at the city center of Stuttgart.
It was built to stage the Wuerttemberg Court Theater as an amusement for the late duke. The building was repeatedly modernized over the years, until it was almost completely destroyed in a fire in 1902. Only a flight of stairs on the outside of the building survived. The existing opera house, as it is today was built between 1909 – 1912 by the architect Max Littmann. It was then renamed to “Royal Court Theater” or “Royales Hoftheater” in German. The opera house was designed as a dual complex with two separate houses for opera and drama. In 1912 it opened with a world premiere of Richard Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos”.
During World War II, unfortunately only the opera/orchestra house, decorated with neo-classical columns, survived. In the summer of 1945, the opera also served as a “crossroads” recreation center of the American Red Cross. The small theater house was reconstructed from 1959 to 1962. Later, it was restored into its original state like it was before the two World Wars.

The State Orchestra has an over 400-year long history and is on top the oldest and most traditional orchestra in Germany. It maintains a good and intensive relationship with many important guest conductors. As new General Music Director, Cornelius Meister (he took over in 2019) realizes seven symphony concerts as well as seven chamber concerts per season. The 130 employed musicians perform about 230 times a year, mostly for operas and ballets.



Sources:
Staatsoper-stuttgart.de
Stuttgartcitizen.com/lifestyle/history-culture-unite-at-stuttgarts-opera/  published March 7th, 2016 / January 24th, 2023, 12:14 reviewed
YouTube  Staatsorchester Stuttgart – Steckbrief Staatsorchester - So klingt Vielfalt