Bavarian State Opera

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:Nationaltheater Muenchen.jpg The Bayerische Staatsoper or Bavarian State Opera is an opera company in Munich and is one of the leading opera companies in Germany and the world and has existed since 1653. Its orchestra is the Bavarian State Orchestra.

While it performs in the Prinzregententheater (a house built in the early years of the 20th Century and which is not unlike the Bayreuth theatre built to Wagner’s specifications) and the Cuvilliès Theatre, (built in the 1730s and described by Beauvert as “a Rococo gem”), the Bavarian State Opera Company’s home base is the Nationaltheater Muenchen or National Theatre on Max-Joseph-Platz.

After the first theatre, commissioned by King Maximilian 1st of Bavaria, which opened in 1818 with ‘’Die Weihe’’ by Ferdinand Fränzl, was destroyed by fire in 1823, it was reconstructed and re-opened in 1825. This second theatre, designed by Karl von Fisher, incorporated neo-Greek features as seen in its portico and triangular pediment.

During these years, it was to see the premieres of a significant number of operas, including many by German composers. These included Wagner’s ‘’Tristan und Isolde’’ (1865); ‘’Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg’’ (1968); ‘’Das Rheingold’’ (1869); and ‘’Die Walküre’’ (1870) after which Richard Wagner chose to built a theatre in Bayreuth and continued performances there.

During the latter part of the 19th Century, it was Richard Strauss who would make his mark on the Theatre in the city in which he was born in 1864. After accepting the position of conductor for a short time, Strauss returned to the theatre to become chief conductor from 1894 to 1898. In the pre-War period, his ‘’Friedenstag’’ (1938) and ‘’Capriccio’’ were premiered in Munich. Although somewhat modified in 1930 to create an enlarged stage area with updated equipment, the second theatre survived until Second World War bombing destroyed it in October 1943.

Based on the original plans by Karl von Fisher, the architect Gerhardt Graaubner recreated the original neo-classical 2100 seat theatre. Albeit somewhat enlarged and only the foyer and main staircase retaining their original look, the theatre opened on 22nd November 1963 with a performance of Richard Wagner ‘s ‘’Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg’’. In the post-War period, the house has seen significant productions and many world premieres.

Since 1998 Zubin Mehta has been the music director of the Bavarian State Opera and Bavarian State Orchestra.

Sir Peter Jonas became Staatsintendant (General Director) in 1993. He is the first British Intendant of the Staatsoper and the first British Intendant of any major German speaking Opera House.

[edit]