Leipzig: Altes Theater

Country: Germany (Deutschland)
State: Sachsen
City: Leipzig
Location: Richard-Wagner-Platz (Rannische Bastei, Theaterplatz)

Built 1766 by Georg Rudolph Fäsch (1186 seats). Opened 7 Oct 1766 with a prologue, Johann Elias Schlegel's tragedy "Herrmann", a ballet, and a comedy (with J. W. Goethe as a member of the audience). 1796 rebuilding of stagehouse. 1802 stage extension. 1817 major exterior and auditorium rebuilding by K. A. Siegel after designs by Friedrich Weinbrenner. Re-opened 26 Aug 1817 as "Theater der Stadt Leipzig". 1826 new painted interior decoration. 1829-1832 operated as Saxon court theatre. From 1833, again operated by private theatre managers. 1868 renamed "Altes Theater". Subsequently mainly used for drama performances. From 1912, operated as a municipal theatre by the city of Leipzig. Ca. 1920 major stagehouse rebuilding. 1224 seats. Destroyed by bombs in the night of 3/4 Dec 1943. Remains later demolished.

Notable world premieres:

  • Ludwig van Beethoven: Ah! Perfido (concert aria, 21 Nov 1796)
  • Friedrich Schiller: Die Jungfrau von Orleans (11 Sep 1801)
  • Heinrich Marschner: Der Vampyr (29 Mar 1828)
  • Heinrich Marschner: Der Templer und die Jüdin (22 Dec 1829)
  • Richard Wagner: Concert Ouverture in D minor (25 Dec 1831)
  • Heinrich Marschner: Des Falkners Braut (10 Mar 1832)
  • Heinrich Marschner: Das Schloß am Aetna (29 Jan 1836)
  • Albert Lortzing: Die beiden Schützen (20 Feb 1837)
  • Albert Lortzing: Zar und Zimmermann (22 Dec 1837)
  • Albert Lortzing: Caramo oder Das Fischerstechen (20 Sep 1839)
  • Albert Lortzing: Hans Sachs (23 June 1840)
  • Albert Lortzing: Casanova (31 Dec 1841)
  • Albert Lortzing: Der Wildschütz (31 Dec 1842)
  • Albert Lortzing: Zum Großadmiral (13 Dec 1847)
  • Albert Lortzing: Rolands Knappen oder Das ersehnte Glück (25 May 1849)
  • Robert Schumann: Genoveva (25 June 1850)
  • Franz Werfel: Der Spiegelmensch (15 Oct 1921, also at Stuttgart)
  • Ernst Toller: Der deutsche Hinkemann (19 Sep 1923)
  • Bertolt Brecht: Baal (8 Dec 1923)
  • Kurt Weill: Der Silbersee (18 Feb 1933, also at Magdeburg and Erfurt)

Link: Wikipedia

Leipzig: Altes Theater Picture: left: Stadttheater before the 1817 rebuilding
Front Text: "Altes Theater - Leipzig zu Ende des 18ten Jahrhunderts" [Leipzig in the late 18th century], "S'neie Dheader ganns een verleiden; Mit der Fronte der breeden und langen; Wie war mir doch frieher da so bescheiden; Un 's is doch damals ooch gegangen!" [Dialect poem: The new theatre puts us off, with its broad and long front; How moderate one used to be in the old times, and everything was just as fine then!]
Publisher: Verlag v. Carl Garte, Kunstanstalt Leipzig
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Taucha to Altenburg, 1899

Leipzig: Altes Theater Front Text: "Gruss aus Leipzig", "Altes Theater"
Publisher: Emil Pinkau, Leipzig
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Leipzig to Görkau (= Jirkov, Czech Republic), 1899

Leipzig: Altes Theater Front Text: "Das alte Leipzig", "Das alte Theater"
Publisher: Verlag von Max Nierth, Leipzig 1899
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Leipzig: Altes Theater Front Text: "Gruss aus Leipzig, Das Alte Theater, in welchem Fr. v. Schiller am 17. September 1801 der 2. Aufführung seiner Jungfrau v. Orleans beiwohnte"
Publisher: Verlag von Hermann Vogel, Leipzig; Nr. 67
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Leipzig to Hermannsstadt (= Sibiu, Romania), 1902

Leipzig: Altes Theater Front Text: "Leipzig, Reformirte Kirche und altes Theater"
Reverse Text: "Bundesfest des B.E.K., Pfingsten 1906 Leipzig"
Publisher: Louis Pernitzsch, Kunsthandlung, Leipzig
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Leipzig to Wien (Austria), 1906

Leipzig: Altes Theater Front Text: "Leipzig, Altes Theater"
Publisher: Kunstverlag Rudolf Brauneis, Dresden-A.; No. 34; Orig.-Aufn. v. R. Brauneis, Dresden
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Leipzig to Bruxelles (Belgium), 1907

Leipzig: Altes Theater Front Text: "Leipzig - Altes Theater"
Reverse Text: rubber stamp dated 9 Oct 1913
Publisher: Verlag von Graul & Pöhl, Leipzig; 611
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Leipzig: Altes Theater Front Text: "Leipzig - Altes Theater und Ringmessehaus"
Publisher: Ephoka-Verlag, Leipzig
Type: Real Photo
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Leipzig: Altes Theater Front Text: "Leipzig, Das alte Theater"
Publisher: Paul Wolff, Dresden-A.
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Leipzig to Plauen/Vogtland, 1941

Leipzig: Altes Theater Front Text: "Leipzig - Altes Theater"
Publisher: Dr. Trenkler & Co., Leipzig; 28; S 56405
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Permanent link: https://www.andreas-praefcke.de/carthalia/id/1965

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