Staatstheater Kassel
Encyclopedia
The Staatstheater Kassel is a state-owned and -operated theater in Kassel
, Germany
.
and is considered one of the oldest of its kind north of the Alps
. Further buildings were constructed for use as public theatre venues, and in the 18th century the opera house was erected on Königsstraße, in which the singer Elisabeth Mara staged her first success and which was conducted by Louis Spohr
.
On the orders of the German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II, a theatre was built in 1909 with one of the largest stages in the country and seating for an audience of over 1,450. The building was heavily damaged during World War II
. The architectural competition for a replacement was won by Hans Scharoun
but his ideas were not implemented - instead, the plans of architects Paul Bode and Ernst Brunding were realized; construction finished in 1959 (the competition models are on display at the Kassel City Museum). In 1989 an additional auditorium with 99 seats, the studio stage TIF - Theater im Fridericianum (Kassel), was erected.
The state theatre's orchestra has one of Germany's longest traditions, having been mentioned as Court Orchestra as early as 1502.
, artistic director and choreographer of the theatre's dance company (since 2006). The opera house has 953 seats, the Playhouse Theatre 540 seats and the Fridericianum 99 seats. With its total number of 1,592 seats, the theater recorded around 227,000 attendances in the 2008/09 season.
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
History
A permanent theatre house already existed in Kassel during the first decade of the 17th century. It stood immediately next to the Ottoneum near the State Theatre which is now used as a Natural History MuseumNatural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
and is considered one of the oldest of its kind north of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. Further buildings were constructed for use as public theatre venues, and in the 18th century the opera house was erected on Königsstraße, in which the singer Elisabeth Mara staged her first success and which was conducted by Louis Spohr
Louis Spohr
Louis Spohr was a German composer, violinist and conductor. Born Ludewig Spohr, he is usually known by the French form of his name. Described by Dorothy Mayer as "The Forgotten Master", Spohr was once as famous as Beethoven. As a violinist, his virtuoso playing was admired by Queen Victoria...
.
On the orders of the German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II, a theatre was built in 1909 with one of the largest stages in the country and seating for an audience of over 1,450. The building was heavily damaged during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The architectural competition for a replacement was won by Hans Scharoun
Hans Scharoun
Bernhard Hans Henry Scharoun was a German architect best known for designing the Berlin Philharmonic concert hall and the in Löbau, Saxony. He was an important exponent of Organic architecture....
but his ideas were not implemented - instead, the plans of architects Paul Bode and Ernst Brunding were realized; construction finished in 1959 (the competition models are on display at the Kassel City Museum). In 1989 an additional auditorium with 99 seats, the studio stage TIF - Theater im Fridericianum (Kassel), was erected.
The state theatre's orchestra has one of Germany's longest traditions, having been mentioned as Court Orchestra as early as 1502.
Operation
Performances take place almost daily, and each year around 30 pieces of various genres are presented. The theatre employs around 500 people including general director Thomas Bockelmann (since 2004) and Johannes WielandJohannes Wieland
Johannes Wieland is a choreographer, teacher and dancer.-
Biography:
Johannes Wieland received his early dance training under Ellys Gregor in Berlin, the ballet academy of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, with John Neumeier at the Hamburg State Opera and the Amsterdam School of the Arts where he earned...
, artistic director and choreographer of the theatre's dance company (since 2006). The opera house has 953 seats, the Playhouse Theatre 540 seats and the Fridericianum 99 seats. With its total number of 1,592 seats, the theater recorded around 227,000 attendances in the 2008/09 season.