Germany - Berlin
State Opera House of Berlin

In 1992, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden celebrated its 250thanniversary. Originally conceived as Frederick the Great’s Royal Opera House, it is Berlin’s oldest theatrical building and one of the world’s most beautiful opera houses. Built between 1741 and 1743 by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff, it opened on December 7, 1742 – still only part complete – with a performance of Carl Heinrich Graun’s Cesare e Cleopatre. Until 1801, the house remained the exclusive preserve of the royal court and invited guests. It was only in 1807 that its doors were opened to the citizens.

Berlin’s 19th century operatic history include one of the most beautiful and joyous works of the German operatic repertoire: Otto Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor. It was first performed at Unter den Linden, with the composer conducting, in 1849.

After 1918, the opera house began focusing on contemporary composers, writing another chapter of operatic history with the world premiere of Wozzeck conducted by Erich Kleiber.

During World War II, bombs destroyed the house for the first time in 1941, then rapidly rebuilt. It was destroyed again in 1945. The beautiful Unter den Linden opera house was rebuilt between 1952 and 1955. On September 4, 1955, it reopened with Wagner’s
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.