Hamburg State Opera

The Hamburg State Opera stands near Gänsemarkt square in Hamburg-Mitte. Its theatre replaced an earlier wooden building in 1826. The new stone structure opened with Beethoven’s incidental music to Egmont. In the 19th century the house became known for staging complete Ring Cycles and works by Wagner. Renovation in the 1870s and 1890s modernised both exterior and interior. The company has long championed new works and world premières. Handel’s Nero received its first performance here in 1705. Later premières included Busoni’s Die Brautwahl and Korngold’s Die tote Stadt. In the 1960s the opera house pioneered colour television broadcasts of its productions. Recent premières by Rihm and Lachenmann have won international praise. Visitors find a spacious auditorium rebuilt after the Second World War. The stage hosts Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte on opening nights. Behind the scenes the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg provides the orchestra. The building sits close to other cultural landmarks in the city centre.