König Albert Theater

The König Albert Theater stands in Bad Elster, a spa town in the Vogtland region of Saxony. Built in 1914, it was the last German court theatre and replaced an earlier playhouse opened in 1888. The building was designed by Chemnitz architects Alfred Zapp and Erich Basarke to seat more than five hundred spectators. Its auditorium features two tiers of boxes, including a royal box, giving the house a democratic character. The theatre opened on 22 May 1914 in the presence of King Friedrich August III of Saxony. The theatre quickly became a summer stage for stars of the first half of the 20th century. Conductors such as Paul Lincke and Eduard Künneke led their own works, while singers like Rosa Albach-Retty and Genia Guszalewicz appeared on stage. Regular guests included Richard Tauber and Helge Rosvaenge, alongside actors like Heinrich George and Maria von Tasnady. From the start, the house welcomed ensembles from Dresden’s Semperoper, the Sächsische Staatskapelle and other German theatres. Festivals of opera, operetta and contemporary music helped establish Bad Elster as a leading festival city. Today the theatre presents music theatre, concerts, plays, readings and cabaret throughout the year. The Chursächsische Philharmonie is resident, and partnerships with the Semperoper Dresden and other institutions shape the programme. The building was restored between 1998 and 2004 and reopened on the same date, 22 May, in 2004. Under the patronage of Alexander Markgraf von Meissen, it hosts artists such as Wolfgang Stumph, Stefanie Hertel and Jan Vogler. The surrounding spa gardens and the quiet streets of Bad Elster add to the refined atmosphere of a historic European festival town.