Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden | |
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Aerial view of the theatre in Wiesbaden, the capital of Hesse
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General information | |
Location | Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany |
Coordinates | 50°05′01″N 8°14′45″E / 50.08361°N 8.24583°ECoordinates: 50°05′01″N 8°14′45″E / 50.08361°N 8.24583°E |
Construction started | 1892 |
Completed | 1894 |
Design and construction | |
Architect | |
Website | |
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The Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden is the State Theatre of the German state Hesse in its capital Wiesbaden, producing operas, plays, ballets, musicals and concerts on four stages. It is also known as Staatstheater Wiesbaden or Theater Wiesbaden, its orchestra is the Hessisches Staatsorchester. The building was inaugurated in 1894.
The theatre is the host for the annual festival Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden, established in 1896 after the Bayreuth Festival.
The building of the theatre was initiated and substantially supported by the German emperor William I who regularly visited the spa in Wiesbaden. A competition was won by a team of architects from Vienna, Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer. They erected the building from 1892 to 1894 in Baroque Revival style, following models in Prague and Zurich. The inauguration was on 16 October 1894 in the presence of the emperor. The Foyer was built in 1902 by architect Felix Genzmer. It serves three stages.
After World War I the theatre was renamed "Preußisches Staatstheater" (Prussian State Theatre). Since 1932 the city of Wiesbaden was responsible for the theatre, therefore it was renamed "Nassauisches Landestheater" (Theater of the Province Nassau).
The building was seriously damaged in World War II by a bomb on 3 February 1945. The front was restored in a simplified way and the ceiling of the hall was decorated with a contemporary painting.