Gloria-Theater

The Gloria-Theater stands in Bad Säckingen on Friedrichstraße, a 1959 cinema designed by Albert Ruf. It opened with Heimat – Deine Lieder starring Sabine Bethmann and Rudolf Lenz. After decades as a cinema it became a musical and touring theatre in 2007. The building holds 615 seats arranged in rising rows and a balcony. Modern lighting and sound systems share the stage with an orchestra pit. In 2005 the theatre was listed as a 1950s architectural monument. The theatre’s programme brings big names to a small town. Emil Steinberger, Johann König and Dieter Hallervorden have appeared on its stage. Concerts have featured Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Barclay James Harvest and Fools Garden. Musicals such as Aida and Happy Landing have played here. Dance companies from Argentina and Ireland have also performed. Readings by Christoph Maria Herbst and Hellmuth Karasek add to the variety. Visitors find a single auditorium with a wide stage framed by technical rigs. The balcony overlooks the rising seats and the orchestra pit below. The foyer retains the lines of 1950s design while housing modern lighting desks. Outside, Friedrichstraße leads to Bad Säckingen’s old town and the Rhine. Inside, the space shifts from cabaret to symphony without leaving the same seats.