The Semperoper () is the

opera house An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets. While some venues are constructed specifically fo ...

of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden (Saxon State Opera) and the concert hall of the Staatskapelle Dresden (Saxon State Orchestra). It is also home to the Semperoper Ballett. The building is located on the Theaterplatz near the

Elbe The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Re ...

River in the historic centre of

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label= Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...

, Germany. The opera house was originally built by the architect Gottfried Semper in 1841. After a devastating fire in 1869, the opera house was rebuilt, partly again by Semper, and completed in 1878. The opera house has a long history of premieres, including major works by Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss.

History

The first opera house at the location of today's Semperoper was built by the architect Gottfried Semper. It opened on 13 April 1841 with an opera by Carl Maria von Weber. The building style itself is debated among many, as it has features that appear in three styles: early

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...

and

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...

, with

Corinthian style The Corinthian order (Greek: Κορινθιακός ρυθμός, Latin: ''Ordo Corinthius'') is the last developed of the three principal classical orders of Ancient Greek architecture and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric order w ...

pillars typical of Greek

classical revival Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...

. Perhaps the most suitable label for this style would be

eclecticism Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories i ...

, where influences from many styles are used, a practice most common during this period.Fritz Löffler: ''Das alte Dresden – Geschichte seiner Bauten''. 16th ed. Leipzig: Seemann, 2006, . Nevertheless, the opera building, Semper's first, was regarded as one of the most beautiful European opera houses. Dresden hausmannsturm theaterplatz

Following a devastating fire in 1869, the citizens of Dresden immediately set about rebuilding their opera house. They demanded that Gottfried Semper do the reconstruction, even though he was then in exile because of his involvement in the May 1849 uprising in Dresden. The architect had his son, Manfred Semper, build the second opera house using his plans. Completed in 1878, it was built in

Neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range ...

style. During the construction period, performances were held at the ''Gewerbehaussaal'', which opened in 1870. The building is considered to be a prime example of "Dresden

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...

. It is situated on the Theatre Square in central Dresden on the bank of the Elbe River. On top of the portal there is a Panther quadriga with a statue of

Dionysos In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...

. The interior was created by architects of the time, such as

Johannes Schilling Johannes Schilling (23 June 1828 in Mittweida – 21 March 1910 in Klotzsche near Dresden) was a German sculptor. Life and work Johannes Schilling was the youngest of five children. A year after his birth, his family moved to Dresden, where he ...

. Monuments on the portal depict artists, such as

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as t ...

, Friedrich Schiller,

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

Sophocles Sophocles (; grc, Σοφοκλῆς, , Sophoklễs; 497/6 – winter 406/5 BC)Sommerstein (2002), p. 41. is one of three ancient Greek tragedians, at least one of whose plays has survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or c ...

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...

and

Euripides Euripides (; grc, Εὐριπίδης, Eurīpídēs, ; ) was a tragedian of classical Athens. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians for whom any plays have survived in full. Some ancient scholars ...

. The building also features work by

Ernst Rietschel Ernst Friedrich August Rietschel (15 December 180421 January 1861) was a German sculptor. Life Rietschel was born in Pulsnitz in Saxony the third child of Friedrich Ehrgott Rietschel and his wife Caroline. From the age of 20 he became an art ...

and Ernst Julius Hähnel. In the pre-war years, the Semperoper premiered many of the works of Richard Strauss. 011 Dresden - Semperoper

In 1945, during the last months of World War II, the building was largely destroyed again, this time by the bombing of Dresden and subsequent firestorm, leaving only the exterior shell standing. Exactly 40 years later, on 13 February 1985, the opera's reconstruction was completed. It was rebuilt to be almost identical to its appearance before the war, but with the benefit of new stage machinery and an accompanying modern rear service building. The Semperoper reopened with the opera that was performed just before the building's destruction in 1945, Carl Maria von Weber's ''

Der Freischütz ' ( J. 277, Op. 77 ''The Marksman'' or ''The Freeshooter'') is a German opera with spoken dialogue in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Friedrich Kind, based on a story by Johann August Apel and Friedrich Laun from their 1810 ...

''. When the Elbe flooded in 2002, the building suffered heavy water damage. With substantial help from around the world, it reopened in December of that year.

Present-day administration and operations

Today, the orchestra for most operas is the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden. The Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) of the Semperoper is normally a different conductor from that of the Staatskapelle when it presents concerts. Exceptions have been Karl Böhm, Hans Vonk, and

Fabio Luisi Fabio Luisi (born 17 January 1959) is an Italian conductor. He is currently principal conductor of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and chief conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. Bio ...

who have held both positions. Whilst the Semperoper does not have a GMD as of 2015, the current chief conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden is Christian Thielemann, as of the 2012/13 season. The current ''Intendant'' (General Manager) of the company is Wolfgang Rothe. Since the 2018–2019 season, the ''Intendant'' of the Semperoper is Peter Theiler. In May 2021, his initial contract as ''Intendant'' was extended through the 2023–2024 season, at which time Theiler is scheduled to conclude his tenure in the post. In June 2021, the Semperoper announced the appointment of Nora Schmid as the incoming ''Intendantin'' of the company (the second woman to hold the post, after Ulrike Hessler), effective with the 2024–2025 season.

Artists associated with the Semperoper

Conductors

* Carl Gottlieb Reißiger * Richard Wagner *

Ernst von Schuch Ernst Edler von Schuch, born Ernst Gottfried Schuch (23 November 1846, Graz – 10 May 1914, Niederlößnitz/Radebeul Dresden) was an Austrian conductor who became famous through his working collaborations with Richard Strauss at the Dresden C ...

(1889–1914) * Fritz Reiner (1914–1921) * Fritz Busch (1922–1933) * Karl Böhm (1934–1942) * Karl Elmendorff (1943–1944) * Joseph Keilberth (1945–1951) * Rudolf Kempe (1949–1952) * Otmar Suitner (1960–1964) *

Kurt Sanderling Kurt Sanderling, CBE (; 19 September 1912 – 18 September 2011) was a German conductor. Sanderling was born in Arys, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire (now Orzysz, Poland), to Jewish parents. His early work at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, where ...

(1964–1967) *

Herbert Blomstedt Herbert Thorson Blomstedt (; born 11 July 1927) is a Swedish conductor. Herbert Blomstedt was born in Massachusetts. Two years after his birth, his Swedish parents moved the family back to their country of origin. He studied at the Stockholm Ro ...

(1975–1985) * Hans Vonk (1985–1990) *

Giuseppe Sinopoli Giuseppe Sinopoli (; 2 November 1946 – 21 April 2001) was an Italian conductor and composer. Biography Sinopoli was born in Venice, Italy, and later studied at the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice under Ernesto Rubin de Cervin ...

(1992–2001) * Semyon Bychkov (2001–2002) * Bernard Haitink (2002–2004) *

(2007–2010) * Christian Thielemann (2012–present)

Singers

* Bernd Aldenhoff * Helena Forti * Elisabeth Höngen *

Friedrich Plaschke Friedrich Plaschke (7 January 1875 – 4 February 1952) was a Czech operatic bass-baritone. From 1900 to 1937 he was a member of the Dresden Hofoper. He also appeared as a guest artist with companies in the United States, the Bayreuth Festival, a ...

* Elisabeth Rethberg * Karl Scheidemantel * Ernestine Schumann-Heink *

Erna Sack Erna Dorothea Luise Sack (née Weber; 6 February 18982 March 1972) was a German coloratura soprano, known as the German Nightingale for her high vocal range. Biography Erna Weber was born in Spandau, Berlin. As a child, her voice attracted attenti ...

* Richard Tauber * Tino Pattiera * Annie Krull * Riza Eibenschütz *

Irma Tervani Irma Tervani, stage name of Irma Achté, (1887–1936) was a Finnish contralto opera singer who performed at the Finnish Opera in Helsinki and at the Dresden Royal Opera. She is remembered for her interpretation of '' Carmen'' and for her Wagner ...

* Meta Seinemeyer * Margarethe Siems * Therese Malten *

Edda Moser Edda Moser (born 27 October 1938) is a German operatic soprano. She was particularly well known for her interpretations of music by Mozart. Her 1973 recital LP ' received the Grand Prix du Disque. Life and career Moser was born in Berlin, the ...

Minnie Nast Minnie Nast (10 October 1874 – 20 June 1956) was a German soprano. She was born in Karlsruhe and studied at the Karlsruhe Conservatory, making her début at Aachen in 1897. Nast performed in Dresden from 1898 to 1919 and then taught singing ...

* Eva von der Osten * Karl Perron * Hermann Wedekind * Marie Wittich

Operas premiered

*1842: Richard Wagner – ''

Rienzi ' (''Rienzi, the last of the tribunes''; WWV 49) is an early opera by Richard Wagner in five acts, with the libretto written by the composer after Edward Bulwer-Lytton's novel of the same name (1835). The title is commonly shortened to ''Ri ...

'', 20 October *1843: Richard Wagner – '' The Flying ''Dutchman'', 2 January *1845: Richard Wagner – '' Tannhäuser'', 19 October *1895: Eugen d'Albert: ''Ghismonda'', 28 November *1901: Richard Strauss – '' Feuersnot'', 22 November *1905: Richard Strauss – '' Salome'', 9 December *1909: Richard Strauss – '' Elektra'', 25 January *1911: Richard Strauss – '' Der Rosenkavalier'', 26 January *1913: Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari – '' L'amore medico'', 4 December *1916: Eugen d'Albert – ''

Die toten Augen ''Die toten Augen'' (''The Dead Eyes'') is an opera (called a or 'stage poem' by the composer) with a prologue and one act by Eugen d'Albert to a libretto in German by Hanns Heinz Ewers and (Achille Georges d'Ailly-Vaucheret) after Henry's own 1 ...

'', 5 March *1917: Hans Pfitzner – '' Das Christ-Elflein'' (2nd version), 11 December *1924: Richard Strauss – '' Intermezzo'', 4 November *1925: Ferruccio Busoni – '' Doktor Faust'', 21 May *1926: Kurt Weill – '' Der Protagonist'', 27 March *1926:

Paul Hindemith Paul Hindemith (; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advocate of the ' ...

– '' Cardillac'', 9 November *1927:

Emil von Reznicek Emil Nikolaus Joseph, Freiherr von Reznicek (4 May 1860, in Vienna – 2 August 1945, in Berlin) was an Austrian composer of Romanian-Czech ancestry. Life Reznicek's grandfather, Josef Resnitschek (1787–1848), was a trumpet virtuoso and b ...

– ''Spiel oder Ernst'' *1927:

Othmar Schoeck Othmar Schoeck (1 September 1886 – 8 March 1957) was a Swiss Romantic classical composer, opera composer, musician, and conductor. He was known mainly for his considerable output of art songs and song cycles, though he also wrote a number ...

– '' Penthesilea'', 8 January *1928: Richard Strauss – '' Die ägyptische Helena'', 6 June *1930: Othmar Schoeck – ''Vom Fischer and syner Fru'', 3 October *1932: Eugen d'Albert – ''Mr Wu'' *1933: Richard Strauss – ''

Arabella ''Arabella'', Op. 79, is a lyric comedy, or opera, in three acts by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, their sixth and last operatic collaboration. Performance history It was first performed on 1 July 1933 at the Dr ...

'', 1 July *1935: Richard Strauss – '' Die schweigsame Frau'', 24 June *1935:

Rudolf Wagner-Régeny Rudolf Wagner-Régeny (28 August 1903, Szászrégen, Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Reghin, Romania) – 18 September 1969, Berlin) was a composer, conductor, and pianist. Born in Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary, ...

– ''Der Günstling'', 20 February *1937: Othmar Schoeck – ''Massimilla Doni'', 2 March *1938: Richard Strauss – '' Daphne'', 15 October *1940: Heinrich Sutermeister – ''Romeo und Julia'', 13 April *1942: Heinrich Sutermeister – ''Die Zauberinsel'', 31 October *1944: Gottfried von Einem – ''Prinzessin Turandot'', 5 February *1944:

Joseph Haas Joseph Haas (19 March 1879 – 30 March 1960) was a German late romantic composer and music teacher. Biography He was born in Maihingen, near Nördlingen to teacher Alban Haas from his second marriage, being half-brother to the theologian a ...

– ''Die Hochzeit des Jobs'', 2 July *1985:

Siegfried Matthus Siegfried Matthus (13 April 1934 – 27 August 2021) was a German composer, conductor, and festival founder and manager. Some of his operas, such as ''Judith (Matthus), Judith'', were premiered at the Komische Oper Berlin in East Berlin. In 199 ...

– ''Die Weise von Liebe und Tod des Cornets Christoph Rilke'', 16 February *1989: Eckehard Meyer – ''Der goldene Topf'', 1989 *1998: Matthias Pintscher – ''Thomas Chatterton'', 25 May *2001: Peter Ruzicka – ''Celan'', 25 March *2008:

Manfred Trojahn Manfred Trojahn (born 22 October 1949) is a German composer, flautist, conductor and writer. Career Trojahn was born Cremlingen in Lower Saxony and began his musical studies in 1966 in orchestra music at the music school of Braunschweig. After grad ...

– ''La grande magia'', 10 May *2010: Hans Werner Henze – ''Gisela'' (Dresden version), 20 November *2011:

Miroslav Srnka Miroslav Srnka (born 23 March 1975 in Prague) is a Czech composer. Early life Srnka studied musicology at Charles University Prague from 1993 to 1999 and composition with Milan Slavický at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague from 1998 to 20 ...

– ''Jakub Flügelbunt '', 15 December *2012: Johannes Wulff-Woesten – ''Die Konferenz der Tiere'', 8 July *2013: Johannes Wulff-Woesten – ''Prinz Bussel'', 27 April

References

External links

* {{Authority control Buildings and structures in Dresden Concert halls in Germany Opera houses in Germany Performing arts venues in Germany Music venues completed in 1841 Theatres completed in 1841 Music venues completed in 1878 Rebuilt buildings and structures in Dresden Theatres completed in 1878 Tourist attractions in Dresden Baroque Revival architecture in Germany