Opernhaus Leipzig Langzeitbelichtung Tag

Opernhaus Leipzig Zuschauerraum mit Loge

The Leipzig Opera () is an opera house and

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

company located at the Augustusplatz and the Inner City Ring Road at its east side in Leipzig's district

Mitte Mitte () is the first and most central borough of Berlin. The borough consists of six sub-entities: Mitte proper, Gesundbrunnen, Hansaviertel, Moabit, Tiergarten and Wedding. It is one of the two boroughs (the other being Friedrichshain-Kreuz ...

, Germany.

History

Performances of opera in Leipzig trace back to

Singspiel A Singspiel (; plural: ; ) is a form of German-language music drama, now regarded as a genre of opera. It is characterized by spoken dialogue, which is alternated with ensembles, songs, ballads, and arias which were often strophic, or folk- ...

performances beginning in the year 1693. The composer of many early operas at the first opera house, the Oper am Brühl, was Telemann. He was director of the house from 1703 to 1705. The Leipzig Opera does not have its own opera orchestra – the

Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (Gewandhausorchester; also previously known in German as the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig) is a German symphony orchestra based in Leipzig, Germany. The orchestra is named after the concert hall in which it is bas ...

performs as its orchestra. This relationship began in 1766 with performances of the

' by

Johann Adam Hiller Johann Adam Hiller (25 December 1728 – 16 June 1804) was a German composer, conducting, conductor and writer on music, regarded as the creator of the Singspiel, an early form of German opera. In many of these operas he collaborated with the poet ...

Opera House, 1868

The previous theater (the "") was inaugurated on 28 January 1868 with ''Jubilee Overture'' by

Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (5 June 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and Music criticism, critic in the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Best known for List of operas by Carl Maria von Weber, h ...

and the overture for ''

Iphigénie en Aulide ''Iphigénie en Aulide'' (''Iphigeneia in Aulis (ancient Greece), Aulis'') is an opera in three acts by Christoph Willibald Gluck, the first work he wrote for the Paris stage. The libretto was written by François-Louis Gand Le Bland Du Roullet ...

'' by

Gluck Christoph Willibald ( Ritter von) Gluck (; ; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire at ...

and

Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...

's play '' Iphigenia in Tauris''. From 1886 to 1888,

Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic music, Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and ...

was the second conductor;

Arthur Nikisch Arthur Nikisch (12 October 185523 January 1922) was a Hungary, Hungarian conducting, conductor who performed internationally, holding posts in Boston, London, Leipzig and—most importantly—Berlin. He was considered an outstanding interpreter ...

was his superior. During an air raid in the night of 3 December 1943, part of the bombing of Leipzig in World War II, the theater was destroyed, as were all of Leipzig's theatres.

Opera House, 1960

Construction of the modern opera house began in 1956. The theater was inaugurated on 8 October 1960 with a performance of Wagner's ''

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (; "The Master-Singers of Nuremberg"), WWV 96, is a music drama, or opera, in three acts, by Richard Wagner. It is the longest opera commonly performed, taking nearly four and a half hours, not counting two breaks between acts, and is traditio ...

''. Ulf Schirmer became ''

Generalmusikdirektor A music director, musical director or director of music is a person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert ...

'' (General Music Director, or GMD) of the company in 2009. He was elected artistic director (''Intendant'') in 2011 for a five-year term. Schirmer stood down from both posts in 2022. Tobias Wolff became ''Intendant'' of the company in 2022. Christoph Gedschold became music director of the company as of the 2022–2023 season. In May 2023, the company announced that Gedschold is to stand down as its music director as of the close of the 2023–2024 season.

General music directors (partial list)

(1878) *

(1886–1888) * Otto Lohse (1912) * Gustav Brecher (1923) * (1932) * (1951) * Paul Schmitz (1964) * Lothar Zagrosek (1990–1992) * Jiří Kout (1993) * Michail Jurowski (1999) * Riccardo Chailly (2005–2008) * Ulf Schirmer (2009–2022) * (2022–present)

World premieres

Several operas received their premiere in Leipzig, including: * 1826: ''

Oberon Oberon () is a king of the fairy, fairies in Middle Ages, medieval and Renaissance literature. He is best known as a character in William Shakespeare's play ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', in which he is King of the Fairies and spouse of Titania ...

'' by Weber (first production in Germany) * 1828: '' Der Vampyr'' by Marschner * 1837: '' Zar und Zimmermann'' by Lortzing * 1850: '' Genoveva'' by Schumann * 1902: ' by

Felix Weingartner Paul Felix Weingartner, Edler von Münzberg (2 June 1863 – 7 May 1942) was an Austrian Conducting, conductor, composer and pianist. Life and career Weingartner was born in Zadar, Zara, Kingdom of Dalmatia, Dalmatia, Austrian Empire (now ...

*1906: '' The Wreckers'' by Ethel Smyth * 1927: '' Jonny spielt auf'' by Krenek * 1930: '' Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny'' by Weill * 1931: '' Die Blume von Hawaii'' by Abraham * 1933: '' Der Silbersee'' by Weill * 1937: ''Viola'' by Ludwig Schmidseder * 1943: '' Catulli Carmina'' by Orff * 1966: '' Guyana Johnny'' by Alan Bush * 1971: '' Der zerbrochne Krug'' by Fritz Geißler * 1988: ''Der Idiot'' by Karl Ottomar Treibmann * 1991: ''Matka'' by Annette Schlünz * 1993: ''Nachtwache'' by Jörg Herchet * 1993: ''Dienstag'' from '' Licht'' by Stockhausen * 1996: ''Freitag'' from ''Licht'' by Stockhausen * 1997: ''Abraum'' by Jörg Herchet * 2001: ''Persephone oder der Ausgleich der Welten'' by Günter Neubert * 2006: ''Der schwarze Mönch'' by Philippe Hersant * 2009: ''Rituale – eine Tanzoper für Georg Friedrich Händel'' by Heike Hennig * 2009: ''Das Wesentliche ist unsichtbar'', production of the opera's children's choir * 2010: ''Monsieu Mathieu, was wird?'' production of the opera's children's choir with schools, music by Bruno Coulais and

Christophe Barratier Christophe Barratier (; born 17 June 1963) is a French film producer, director and screenwriter, and lyricist. Early life and education Barratier is the son of the actress Eva Simonet and M. Barratier. He is the nephew of the film director Jacqu ...

* 2011: ''Was, wäre, wenn?'' production of the opera's children's choir * 2011: ''Waldrandgeflüster'', production of the opera's youth and children's choir * 2015: ''The Canterville Ghost'' by

Gordon Getty Gordon Peter Getty (born December 20, 1933) is an American businessman and classical music composer, the fourth child of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. His mother, Ann Rork Light, Ann Rork, was his father's fourth wife. When his father died in 1976, G ...

References

External links

*
Interview with Damien Diaz, Principal Dancer under Uwe Scholz
* {{coord, 51, 20, 25, N, 12, 22, 53, E, region:DE-SN_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title Opera houses in Germany German opera companies Buildings and structures in Leipzig Tourist attractions in Leipzig Buildings and structures completed in 1693 Theatres completed in the 1690s Music venues completed in 1693 Theatres completed in 1868 Music venues completed in 1868 Theatres completed in 1960 Music venues completed in 1960 1693 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra