Steintor-Varieté

The Steintor-Varieté stands in Halle (Saale), one of the oldest variety theatres in Germany. It began life in 1889 inside a former riding hall built in 1868 by Emil Lözius. The building served briefly as an interim city theatre between 1884 and 1886 before becoming the Walhalla-Varieté. After the First World War it changed to operetta, then reverted to variety in the mid-1920s. The theatre closed during the Second World War and reopened in 1945 under its present name. In the German Democratic Republic it shared the stage with only two other variety houses. Since 1996 the privately run theatre has restored the 1889 interior, including the large auditorium, stalls and proscenium plasterwork. A major façade renovation in 2013 returned the exterior to its probable 1920s Walhalla appearance. Visitors find a capacious hall with nearly 1,200 seats arranged in stalls and balconies. The restored proscenium features ornate plasterwork, and the auditorium’s original layout has been carefully recreated. Performances range from classic variety acts to modern revues, continuing a tradition that has run without interruption for more than 130 years.