Altenburg State Theater

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Large house of the Altenburg State Theater
View of the stage
Auditorium

The Landestheater Altenburg is a multi-branch theater in Altenburg and part of Theater Altenburg-Gera . The big house with 500 seats as well as the boiler house and the theater under the roof are used as venues . Kay Kuntze has been General Director and Managing Director since 2011 .

history

“The new theater in Altenburg”, in Die Gartenlaube 1871

The theater years before 1871

After the death of Friedrich III. (Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg) Altenburg came to Duke Ernst II. (Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg) . In the former palace garden theater operas and melodramas by the Gotha court musicians Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel and Georg Anton Benda were performed around 1772–1828 . B. 1775 Benda's melodramas Ariadne auf Naxos and Medea . In 1742, Friederike Caroline Neuber and her theater group performed as a guest here for a long time , 1775 from Gotha from Conrad Ekhof . In addition to pieces by the young Lessing , pieces by Diderot were also performed. When the theater in the castle park was closed in 1779, there was an upswing in civic initiatives: the stage in Pauritzer Gasse (1783–1842), later known as the “Altes Komödienhaus”, was converted from a barn into a “municipal theater” with approx 700 seats rebuilt, including a new type of stage equipment. Due to the high demand, mainly pieces by Schiller were played here. Actor groups came by regularly , e.g. B. about 1818-1824 the company under principal Sophie Walther and 1820-1826 that of Carl Gerlach. The actor Carl Theodor Müller describes several engagements in Altenburg in his memoir.

The most important music performances included B. 1792 Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio and 1812 Die Zauberflöte , 1822 Weber's Freischütz , 1825 Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Weber's Oberon , 1832 Auber's Fra Diavolo and in 1843, under the direction of the composer, Lortzing's play operas Zar und Zimmermann and Der Wildschütz (im The young Albert Lortzing , born in 1801, performed for the first time in Altenburg with his parents), and the actress Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient made guest appearances in 1842 as Norma in the Bellini opera of the same name . Marie Seebach was one of the most prominent guests at the time . A major development phase was initiated in 1860 by the court conductor Wilhelm Stade , who was friends with Liszt , Wagner and Berlioz . In 1849 the “Private and Family Theater Society in Altenburg” was founded (dissolved in 1857) as the successor to the “Lover Theater Society” (1794–1802) and the “Private Theater Society” (1802–1822). In 1864, Shakespeare's Hamlet opened the last season in this theater.

The "Ducal Court Theater" 1871–1914

In the middle of the 19th century, the Altenburg venues could no longer meet the demands of the public: In 1868, Duke Ernst I spoke out in favor of building a theater in Altenburg. In 1869–1871, the “New Ducal Court Theater” was built by architect Otto Brückwald , a student of Semper , in the neo-renaissance style with three tiers ( gallery , balcony ) and proscenium and central boxes as well as a round ceiling ceiling. On April 16, 1871, the inauguration took place with Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber under the direction of Wilhelm Stade, which until 1874 held the musical director. The first season began on September 24, 1871 with Heinrich Laube's “Die Karlsschüler”. In addition to Bellini , Donizetti , Mozart , Lortzing, Schiller, Kotzebue and Scribe , pieces by Birch-Pfeiffer were also on the program. Stade left rehearsals to the second conductor Georg Riemenschneider , under whose baton the celebrated Altenburg premiere of Thannhäuser by Richard Wagner took place in 1873 . In 1875, under the musical direction of Kapellmeister H. Heynke, Wagner's Lohengrin and in 1876 The Flying Dutchman were heard . In 1886 there were the Altenburg premieres of Bizet's Carmen and Wagner's Meistersingers . The operetta also found its way increasingly in these years with Offenbach's works and classic Viennese operettas such as B. Carl Millöckers begging student and Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss.

The magazine was added in 1882, the administration building was added in 1895 and the gas lighting was replaced by an electrical system. In 1904/05 the theater was rebuilt: a sophisticated interior was added with impressive ceiling paintings, golden decorations and red upholstered seats in the great hall. With the addition of the foyer wing in the style of romanticizing classicism with a new facade , the theater received a ticket foyer, a main foyer and additional staircases for the tiers in addition to the modified outside staircase . The theater was also equipped with gas lighting. From 1893–1903 conductors such as Alfred Hertz , Richard Sahla , Hans Chemin-Petit and Arthur Nikisch made guest appearances . A letter from Engelbert Humperdinck about the Altenburg premiere of his fairy tale opera Hansel and Gretel also comes from this time . In 1903 Georg Göhler was appointed court conductor and provided other first performances in the operatic repertoire : 1903 Offenbach's Hoffmanns Erzählungen , 1910 Puccini's Madama Butterfly , Smetana's The Bartered Bride and 1909 Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung . In the area of ​​drama, the performance of Goethe's Faust deserves special mention.

Integration of the theater into the surrounding building complexes

During the First World War , performances of Verdi's Othello and Strauss ' Salome took place, and Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen was performed again in 1919 under the newly engaged conductor Eugen Szenkar . The guests included tenor Richard Tauber , Wagner baritone Walter Soomer , cellist Julius Klengel , actress Tilla Durieux , and actor Paul Wegener .

The “Landestheater” Altenburg 1918–1932

After Duke Ernst II abdicated, the principality was assigned to the Free State of Saxony-Altenburg in 1918 and finally to the State of Thuringia in 1920 . From 1922 Georg Göhler was reappointed to the theater, now known as the Landestheater, and through him, the translation and establishment of unknown Verdi operas led to a Verdi renaissance in Germany. There were Ernst Krenek's Jonny plays on and the world premiere of the new version of the two-act play The protagonist and makes the Tsar himself photographed by Kurt Weill played in the presence of the composer. In addition to numerous world premieres, the best-known works included Pfitzner's Poor Heinrich , Janáček's Jenůfa , Puccini's Turandot , Mussorgsky's Boris Godunow and Wagner's Parsifal . To guest performances came z. B. Actor and singer Ludwig Wüllner and actress Asta Nielsen , operetta composer Eduard Künneke conducted the world premiere of his operetta Die blonde Liselott and also brought out his opera Nadja . The play featured Ms. Warren's trade from George Bernard Shaw , Ingeborg from Curt Goetz , and Gerhart Hauptmann's Dorothea Angermann .

Due to the increasing effects of inflation , the Thuringian state government saved the financial state subsidies in 1925, whereupon the "Association of Theater Friends" was founded in Altenburg at the suggestion of the music teacher and writer Karl Gabler. It was possible to raise an objection to all dismantling plans of the government and thus to prevent damage to Altenburg in this important cultural branch. In 1927/28 there was a merger with the Reussian Theater Gera , but this was resolved before the end of the probationary year due to inefficiency.

On May 2, 1932, under the patronage of the Altenburg gymnastics club, a "beauty advertising gymnastics " took place in the theater , in which the well-known gymnasts Walter Bettermann , Erich Bockenauer , Hans Kessler, Arthur Kleine , Kurt Krötzsch , Alfred Müller , Erich Polmar , Karl Popp , Alfred Schwarzmann , Kurt Wedekind , Erwin Tretner , Hans Echost, Otto Müller and Otto Rothe showed their skills.

1933-1945

From 1932 to 1937 the orchestra was led by the new name "Staatskapelle Altenburg" under the direction of Heinz Drewes . The following works were on the program of the 1936/37 season for the members of the Staatskapelle: in addition to Beethoven's Fidelio , Oberon , Hansel and Gretel , Undine , Thannhäuser , as premieres of Hanns Ludwig Kormann's “Belcanto”, Alberts Tiefland , Mussorgsky's Boris Godunow , and Strauss' Elektra Mozart Cosi fan tutte , Donizetti Don Pasquale , Gounods Margaret , Verdi mask ball and Puccini Manon , to a closed ring-performance and Parsifal , The Alpensinfonie by Strauss . In addition, guest performances by well-known artists such as actors Heinz Rühmann and Curd Jürgens , dancer Mary Wigman , soprano Maria Cebotari and singers Peter Anders and Karl Schmitt-Walter .

1945-1989

In the war winter of 1944/45, the theater had to remain closed due to the general mobilization , but it was reopened in summer 1945: on August 9, 1945, the first major opera performance with Albert Lortzings Waffenschmied , first operetta on August 19 with Der Vetter from Dingsda . Finally, the acting ensemble followed with the two one-act plays Der Kammersänger by Frank Wedekind and Der Grüne Kakadu by Arthur Schnitzler .

Big house with the boiler house
View from Theaterplatz to Altenburg Castle

In 1946/47 a revolving stage was installed and the Seckendorff Palace was attached to the theater as a kind of functional building. In the post-war years, the party and state leadership attached great importance to the fact that the major social disputes were dealt with in the theater. The theater was to develop into a “true folk theater”, ie a “socialist theater”, far from “amusement theater in the usual sense”. In 1956 the machinery in the theater was replaced, in 1978 a new revolving stage was installed and in 1988 a fully automatic light control room was installed. In the same year the new boiler house including a new heating system was put into operation. Not least under the management of Peter Posdzech, the Landestheater Altenburg enjoyed broad recognition for years, even beyond the borders of the time, especially with the operas of Wagner and Verdi, whose continuous performances became an independent Altenburg tradition. The Landestheater Altenburg received the status of a theater promoting young talent in 1983/84: young singers who came from universities or studios were promoted here in appropriate roles or roles and prepared for their future careers; the “seminar for young opera conductors” was also launched.

1989 until today

A thorough renovation of the building began in 1993: within two years, the exterior facade was restored and the interior of the theater was also adapted to modern requirements; the basic architecture was retained, however. On October 2, 1995, the Great House was inaugurated again with Weber's Der Freischütz . Particularly noteworthy musical - productions such as La Cage aux Folles , The Buddy Holly Story , Kiss Me, Kate , Grease , Yesterday as a tribute to the Beatles . And with performances by Bertolt Brecht's The Temporary Ascent of Arturo Ui , Astoria by Jura Soyfer . After the last own productions Salome and Le sacre du printemps , the Landestheater Altenburg merged in 1995 as part of a restructuring initiated by the State of Thuringia with the stages of the city of Gera to form the “Theater Altenburg-Gera”. In 2006 it was renamed " Theater & Philharmonie Thuringia ". The Altenburg part operates again under the previous title “Landestheater Altenburg”. As a so-called multi - branch theater , it promotes music theater as well as drama , ballet and concerts . In the boiler house attached to it, experimental productions in particular are funded, and children's performances and puppet theater take place in the under-roof theater . A total of around 300 performances are offered each year . From summer 2019 until probably spring 2021 the theater has been closed for restoration and renovation work. For this time, a tent was erected on the Altenburger Festplatz, which serves as an interim venue.

See also

literature

  • Theater regulations for the Herzogliche Hoftheater zu Altenburg , Pierer'sche Hofbucbhdruckerei, 1880, on Google Books
  • Karl-Fritz Bernhardt, Karl Gabler: 75 years of the Landestheater Altenburg: Festschrift for the anniversary season 1946/47 , publisher unknown, 1947, on Google Books
  • Ulrich Hess: Overview of the holdings of the Landesarchiv Altenburg, Volume 5 , Verlag H. Böhlaus Nachhaben, 1961, S. 128 and 156, at Google Books
  • Wolfgang Langner, Albrecht Lippold: Landestheater Altenburg: 125 years; Festschrift for the reopening of the reconstructed theater in 1995 , WEKA publishing company for current publications, 1995, on Google Books
  • Steven Taubert: Audience favorites of the Landestheater Altenburg, Volume 1 , Sell Heimat-Verlag, 2004, ISBN 978-3-9809211-7-6 , on Google Books
  • Erdmann Werner Böhme : The early German opera in Thuringia. A Century of Central German Baroque Music and Theater History, by Erdmann Werner Böhme , Verlag Buchdruckerei E. and Ed. Richter, 1931.
  • Herbert Alfred Frenzel , Thuringian Schlosstheater, Volume 63 of the writings of the Society for Theater History , Verlag Gesellschaft für Theatergeschichte, 1965.

Web links

Commons : Theater Altenburg  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Theater management, accessed December 2014
  2. ↑ Castle garden with theater
  3. ^ FC Neuber in German Biography
  4. ↑ Der Franzosen-Müller , pp. 214, 235 at Google books
  5. ↑ at the Thuringia archive portal
  6. ↑ at Wikisource
  7. ↑ flat ceiling
  8. ^ The Karlsschüler. Play in 5 acts . Leipzig: Weber 1847. Digitized
  9. ^ Monthly books for music history, B. 17-18 , 1885, p. 75
  10. ↑ The Orchestra , p. 29
  11. ↑ “Association of Theater Friends” in Das Orchester , p. 30
  12. ^ Karl Gabler in Eroberungen aus der Archiv , p. 54, footnote 73
  13. ↑ Reinhard Weber: Altenburger gymnasts once belonged to the world's elite. Ostthüringer Zeitung , July 14, 2015.
  14. ↑ Belcanto by Kormann at WorldCat
  15. ↑ Pieresche Hofbuchdruckerei in Archives Portal Thuringia

Remarks

  1. ↑ or first performance
  2. ↑ or first performances

Coordinates: 50 ° 59 ′ 13.8 "  N , 12 ° 26 ′ 16.3"  E