List of sculptures at the Semperoper
The list of sculptures at the Semperoper gives an overview of the sculptures, reliefs, friezes and paintings that are arranged on the facade of the Semperoper .
The first Semperoper was built by Gottfried Semper from 1838 to 1841, it existed until 1869. The large seated figures Goethe and Schiller by Ernst Rietschel , as well as the large standing or seated figures Euripides, Sophocles, Shakespeare and Molière in the niches come from this building the vestibules of Ernst Julius Hähnel . The second Semperbau was built (under the guidance of Gottfried Semper) by his son Manfred Semper from 1871 to 1878; it was destroyed in 1945. Most of the building-related, decorative sculpture comes from his second son, Emanuel Semper. The third Semperbau was built between 1977 and 1985 and is largely based on its predecessor, also with regard to the sculptures.
The iconographic program refers to the myth of the ancient gods and heroes related to theater (drama and opera), in particular Dionysus with his entourage (including the four muses of theatrical art: Terpsichore , Thalia , Melpomene and Polyhymnia ) as well as Apollon with the three graces . This refers to the Apollonian-Dionysian antithesis of man. The Apollonian stands for the striving for limitation, for measure, shape and order, the Dionysian for the urge into intoxication, unbound and the abolition of limitations. Both principles are in opposition to each other and determine the actions of people and thereby the course of history.
This program can be seen in particular on the facade facing the Theaterplatz, which is particularly emphasized by the central porch ( exedra ), crowned by the panther quadriga with Dionysus and Ariadne by Johannes Schilling . The dome of the exedra is decorated with a mosaic-like painting to remind of Italian apses with mosaics. Here Apollo and the three Graces rule.
For the sculptures, mainly students of Ernst Julius Hähnel, Johannes Schilling and Ernst Rietschel were used. a. Gustav Adolph Kietz , Karl Heinrich Epler and Robert Diez .
The description of the sculptures according to the individual locations follows the information provided by Heinrich Magirius .
List of sculptures
The sculptures and busts are listed according to the facade of the building, with the names according to the cardinal points and the numbering from top to bottom or from left to right:
- North facade: N1 to N14 (facade on the Elbe side)
- East facade: O1 to O50 (facade on Theaterplatz)
- South facade: S1 to S14 (facade on the side of the kennel)
- West facade: W1 to W17 (rear facade)
image | Type and location no. | Name of the sculpture | Location | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|
East facade | ||||
Sculpture O1 | Lyre | on the gable of the stage building, center | Emanuel Semper | |
Sculpture O2 | Gripping | on the gable of the stage building, left | Emanuel Semper | |
Sculpture O3 | Gripping | on the gable of the stage building, right | Emanuel Semper | |
Exedra | superior, middle part of the east facade | |||
Sculpture O4 | Panther Quadriga with Dionysus and Ariadne | on the exedra | Johannes Schilling | |
Frieze O5 | Frieze with masks | Frieze on the pedestal of the panther quadriga on the exedra | Emanuel Semper | |
Sculpture O6 | Terpsichore (left) | on the exedra, left side | Robert Ockelmann | |
Sculpture O7 | Thalia (right) | on the exedra, left side | Georg Dillmann | |
Zwickelfigur O8 / O9 | sphinx | on the exedra, left and right above the arch | Robert Diez | |
Sculpture O10 | Melpomene (left) | on the exedra, right side | Rudolph Heinrich Hoelbe | |
Sculpture O11 | Polyhymnia (right) | on the exedra, right side | Karl Heinrich Epler | |
Painting ( tondo ) O12 | Marsyas with Syrinx (panpipe) | in the calotte of the exedra (left) | Paul Kießling | |
Painting (tondo) O13 | Three Graces : Euphrosyne , Aglaia and Thalia | in the calotte of the exedra (middle) | Paul Kießling | |
Painting (tondo) O14 | Apollo with Kithara | in the calotte of the exedra (right) | Paul Kießling | |
Sculpture O15 | Cartouche with royal crown "A" = Albert | below the dome, above the upper window of the exedra | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O16 | Frieze with theatrical masks | in the exedra in the area of the cartridge | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O17 | Garlands with masks over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, left) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O18 | Garlands with helmets and shields over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, left) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O19 | Garlands with lyre and masks over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, left) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O20 | Garlands with sacrificial implements over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, left) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O21 | Garlands with masks over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, left) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O22 | Garlands with shield and helmets over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, left) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O23 | Garlands with shield and helmets over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, right) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O24 | Garlands with masks over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, right) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O25 | Garlands with sacrificial implements over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, right) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O26 | Garlands with lyre and masks over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, right) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O27 | Garlands with helmets and shields over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, right) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze O28 | Garlands with masks over the window | in the capital area (1st floor, right) | Emanuel Semper | |
SculptureO29 | Sophocles | left vestibule, above | Ernst Julius Hähnel | |
Sculpture O30 | Euripides | right vestibule, above | Ernst Julius Hähnel | |
Keystone O31 | Mask, left side | Keystone over the tunnel | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O32 | Mask, left side | Keystone over the window arch | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O33 | Mask, left side | Keystone over the window arch | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O34 | Mask, left side | Keystone over the window arch | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O35 | Mask, left side | Keystone over the window arch | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O36 | Mask, left side | Keystone over the window arch | Emanuel Semper | |
Relief head O37 | Angel head or genius | in the capital area above the Goethe and Schiller sculptures | Emanuel Semper | |
Relief head O38 | Angel head or genius | in the capital area above the Goethe and Schiller sculptures | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O39 | Mask, right side | Keystone over the window arch | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O40 | Mask, right side | Keystone over the window arch | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O41 | Mask, right side | Keystone over the window arch | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O42 | Mask, right side | Keystone over the window arch | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O43 | Mask, right side | Keystone over the window arch | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone O44 | Mask, right side | Keystone over the tunnel | Emanuel Semper | |
Sculpture O45 | Shakespeare | left vestibule, below | Ernst Julius Hähnel | |
Sculpture O46 | Goethe | in front of the exedra, left of the entrance | Ernst Rietschel | |
Relief O47 | Poet before Aphrodite | at the base of the Goethe sculpture | Johannes Schilling | |
Sculpture O48 | Schiller | in front of the exedra, right of the entrance | Ernst Rietschel | |
Relief O49 | Poet before Zeus | at the base of the Schiller sculpture | Johannes Schilling | |
Sculpture O50 | Molière | right vestibule, below | Ernst Julius Hähnel | |
North facade | ||||
Sculpture N1 / N2 | Zeus (left) and Prometheus (right) | on the balustrade of the Elbe-sided vestibule | Heinrich Bäumer | |
Sculpture N3 / N4 | Antigone (left) and Kreon (right) | on the balustrade of the Elbe-sided vestibule | Carl August Robert Härtel | |
Sculpture N5 / N6 | Medea (left) and Jason (right) | on the balustrade of the Elbe-sided vestibule | Hermann Hultzsch | |
Sculpture N7 / N8 | Bacchante (left) and satyr (right) | on the balustrade of the Elbe-sided vestibule | Carl Friedrich Echtermeier | |
Frieze N9 | Garlands with masks over the window | in the capital area (1st floor) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze N10 | Garlands with sacrificial implements over the window | in the capital area (1st floor) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze N11 | Garlands with lyre and masks over the window | in the capital area (1st floor) | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone N12 | mask | Keystone over the window arch
(Elbe-side underpass) |
Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone N13 | mask | Keystone over the window arch (Elbe-side passageway) | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone N14 | mask | Keystone over the window arch (Elbe-side passageway) | Emanuel Semper | |
South facade | ||||
Sculpture S1 / S2 | Titania (left) and Oberon (right) | on the balustrade of the vestibule on the fence side | Robert Diez | |
Sculpture S3 / S4 | Stone guest (left) and Don Juan (right) | on the balustrade of the vestibule on the fence side | Heinrich Hermann Christian Möller | |
Sculpture S5 / S6 | Faust (left) and Mephisto (right) | on the balustrade of the vestibule on the fence side | Gustav Adolph Kietz | |
Sculpture S7 / S8 | Witch (left) and Macbeth (right) | on the balustrade of the vestibule on the fence side | Gustav Broßmann | |
Frieze S9 | Garlands with lyre and masks over the window | in the capital area (1st floor) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze S10 | Garlands with sacrificial implements over the window | in the capital area (1st floor) | Emanuel Semper | |
Frieze S11 | Garlands with masks over the window | in the capital area (1st floor) | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone S12 | mask | Keystone over the window arch
(underpass on the Zwingers side) |
Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone S13 | mask | Keystone above the window arch (passageway on the Zwingers side) | Emanuel Semper | |
Keystone S14 | mask | Keystone above the window arch (passageway on the Zwingers side) | Emanuel Semper | |
West facade | ||||
Sculpture W1 | Lyre | on the gable of the stage building, center | Emanuel Semper | |
Sculpture W2 | Gripping | on the gable of the stage building, left | Emanuel Semper | |
Sculpture W3 | Gripping | on the gable of the stage building, right | Emanuel Semper | |
Sculpture W4 / W5 | 2 heads | on the roof of the backstage | ||
Sculpture W6 | peace | on the roof of the backstage | Robert Henze (reconstructed by Christian Hempel ) | |
Sculpture W7 | Saxon royal coat of arms | on the roof of the backstage | Emanuel Semper (reconstructed by Christian Hempel) | |
Frieze W8 | Garland frieze with portrait head Gottfried Semper | under the Saxon royal coat of arms | Emanuel Semper (reconstructed by Christian Hempel) | |
Sculpture W9 | justice | on the roof of the backstage | Robert Henze (reconstructed by Christian Hempel) | |
Sculpture W10 / W11 | 2 heads | on the roof of the backstage | ||
Relief W12 / W13 | Male head and girl head | in the upper part of the rear wall | Emanuel Semper (reconstructed by Hildegard Jahn-Wiegel ) | |
Relief W14 / W15 | Head of an old man and head of a younger man with a lion's cap | in the upper part of the rear wall | Emanuel Semper (reconstructed by Hildegard Jahn-Wiegel) | |
Relief W16 / W17 | Head of an elderly man with a lion's cap and a woman's head | in the upper part of the rear wall | Emanuel Semper (reconstructed by Hildegard Jahn-Wiegel) |