Stuttgart: Hoftheater

Country: Germany (Deutschland)
State: Baden-Württemberg
City: Stuttgart
Location: Schloßplatz / Oberer Schloßgarten (at the site of today's "Kunstgebäude")

Built 1584 as "Neues Lusthaus" (a house for court festivities with rooms for concerts, theatre performances, dance, and exhibitions) by Georg Beer. 1750 rebuilt into an opera house by Leopoldo Retti, preserving most of the exterior building. Extensions 1752 and 1757. 1758 rebuilding by Philippe de La Guêpière. 1811 exterior rebuilding by Nikolaus Friedrich von Thouret. 1845/46 rebuilding including demolition of most of the original "Neues Lusthaus", preserving only the Western exterior walls, a staircase and 15 arcades. Re-opened 26 Aug 1846 as "Hoftheater" with Peter Joseph von Lindpaintner's opera "Lichtenstein". Destroyed by a fire in the night of 19/20 Jan 1902 that started two hours after a performance of Wagner's "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg". It is unclear if the fire was an accident or if it was started on purpose. In any case, the fire came in handy as the old theatre was getting to small for the needs of modern performances, which had led to many complaints by theatre friends that a major residence city like Stuttgart should be equipped with a proper modern court theatre.

After the fire, a provisional "Interim-Theater" was built. It was used until the new "Hoftheater" complex could be opened in 1912.

After 1902, plans to rebuild the original "Neues Lusthaus" at its original site were not realized. However, parts of the ruin were moved to the "Mittlerer Schlossgarten" park in 1904.

Notable world premieres:

  • Peter Josef von Lindpaintner: Der Vampir (21 Sep 1828)
  • Peter Josef von Lindpaintner: Die Gewalt des Liedes (13 Mar 1836)
  • Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson: Paul Lange og Tora Parsberg (1900)
  • Henrik Ibsen: Når vi døde vågner (26 Jan 1900)

Link: Wikidata

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Picture: above left: after the 1811 rebuilding, above middle: remains of the "Lusthaus" arcades during the 1902 demolition works, above right: after the 1839 rebuilding, below left: Interim-Theater (1902-1912), below middle: Staatstheater - Kleines Haus (1912-1944), below right: Staatstheater - Großes Haus (1912-)
Front Text: "Das Kgl. württemb. Hoftheater Stuttgart vom Jahre 1812-1912", above left: "1812-1839 Erbaut unter König Friedrich I., abgebrannt 1839", above middle: "Durch den Abbruch des Stuttgarter Hoftheaters freigelegte Gänge des Lusthauses", above right: "1839-1902 Umgebaut unter König Wilhelm I, abgebrannt 1902", below left: "1902-1912 Kgl. Interim-Theater", below middle: "1912 Kgl. Hoftheater, Kleines Haus", below right: "1912 Kgl. Hoftheater, Grosses Haus, Erbaut unter König Wilhelm II."
Publisher: Verlag von Hochstetter & Vischer, Stuttgart
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart to Dillenburg, 1918

Stuttgart: Lusthaus Local Emergency Money (Stuttgart, 31 March 1922)
Picture: Lusthaus
Front Text: "Der herzogliche Lustgarten mit dem neuen Lusthaus 1584-1845"
Reverse Text: "50 Fünfzig Pfennig. Stadtkassenschein.Gültig bis 31. März 1924. Stuttgart, 21.März 1922. Oberbürgermeister Lautenschlager"
Publisher: Stadtgemeinde Stuttgart
Size: 10.6 x 5.6 cm

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Picture: architectural model by Friedrich von Thouret (19th century)
Reverse Text: "Württ. Landesmuseum Stuttgart. Modell zum Logenhaus des Königlichen Hoftheaters in Stuttgart. Nikolaus Friedrich von Thouret (1767-1845)"
Publisher: Württ. Landesmuseum, Stuttgart; Druck Gebr. Metz, Tübingen
Size: Modern
Not sent.

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Hoftheater, Gruß aus Stuttgart"
Publisher: Postkarten-Verlag Paul Stierle, Pforzheim; 384
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart to München, 1898

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Gruß aus Stuttgart"
Publisher: Kunstanstalt Rosenblatt, Frankfurt a. M.
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart to Karlsruhe, 1898

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Gruß vom Hoftheater in Stuttgart", portrait caption: "Otto Eggerth - Königl. Württemb. Hofschauspieler" [Otto Eggerth was a member of the Stuttgart theatre ensemble from 1889 to 1898]
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Stuttgart, Kgl. Hoftheater und Königin Olgaubau"
Publisher: Verlag von G. Haufler, Stuttgart; No. 536
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart to Frankfurt am Main, 1905

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Hoftheater u. Schloss in Stuttgart", "Nymphengruppe", on coat of arms: "Furchtlos und trew"
Type: Glitter Card; Winter Card; Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart to Ellwangen, 1910

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Stuttgart - Brand des kgl. Hoftheaters 19./20.1.1902"
Handwritten Front Text: dated 22 Jan 1902 - "Sie müssen wohl auch von dem schrecklichen Theater-Brand hier gehört haben. Es ist ganz schauderhaft wie das Gebäude jetzt aussieht & man kann es hier auf der Karte gut erkennen. Es grüßt Sie bestens - B. Kücker" ["You certainly must have heard of the terrible theatre fire here. It is quite horrible how the building is looking like now, as you can easily recognize on this card. Best regards - B. Kücker"]
Publisher: Verlag v. J. Junginger's Lithogr. Kunst- u. Prägea-Anstalt, Stuttgart
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart to Hannover, 23 Jan 1902 (three days after the fire)

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Hoftheaterbrand in Stuttgart in der Nacht vom 19-20. Januar 1902"
Handwritten Front Text: "Zur Erinnerung!"
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Brand des kgl. Hoftheaters Stuttgart, 20. Januar 1902"
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart to Hamersleben, 25 Feb 1902

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Königl. Hoftheater vor dem Brande am 20. Januar 1902" [... before the fire on 20 Jan 1902], "Innere Brandstätte des kgl. Hoftheaters Stuttgart. Im Vordergrund der Rumpf des eisernen Vorhanges"[interior fire site, in the foreground remainders of the iron curtain]
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Stuttgart. Der Brand des Kgl. Hoftheaters, 19./20. Januar 1902"
Handwritten Front Text: "Hiermit übersende ich dir die Ansicht der Brandstätte, es ist innen vollständig niedergebrannt!" ["Hereby I send you a view of the place of the fire. The interior is completely burnt down!"]
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart to Luyny-sur-Ourse (?) (Côte d'Or, France), 22 Jan 1902 (two days after the fire)

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Brand des k. Hoftheaters Stuttgart 20. Jan 1902"
Publisher: Verlag von W. Rössle Fotograf
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart to Allstedt, 13 Feb 1902

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Brand des Königl. Hoftheaters in Stuttgart am 20. Januar 1902"
Publisher: Staehle & Friedel, Stuttgart
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Untertürkheim to Düren, 24 Jan 1902 (four days after the fire)

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Stuttgart, Der Brand des Kgl. Hoftheaters, 19./20. Januar 1902."
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart, 1902 [postmarked, but without an address, maybe sent as part of a larger foldable card]

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Löscharbeiten mit der Dampfspritze im Innern des K. Hoftheaters Stuttgart."
Publisher: Staehle & Friedel, Stuttgart
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Das Innere des Hoftheaters nach dem Brande." [interior of the theatre after the fire]
Publisher: Verlag von C. Schwarz, Stuttgart, Tübingerstrasse
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) Front Text: "Das Innere des Hoftheaters nach dem Brande." [interior of the theatre after the fire]
Publisher: Verlag von C. Schwarz, Stuttgart, Tübingerstrasse
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) / Lusthaus Picture: Lusthaus arcades (dating from 1584) during the demolition of the Hoftheater fire ruin
Front Text: "Durch den Abbruch des Stuttgarter Hoftheaters freigelegte Gänge des Lusthauses (Ausseres)"
Publisher: Photographie und Verlag von L. Schaller, Stuttgart; 1427
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) / Lusthaus Picture: Lusthaus arcades after relocation to the Schlossgarten park in 1904
Front Text: "Stuttgart, Lusthaus-Ruinen in den [...]"
Publisher: Gebr. Metz, Tübingen; 36257
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from the Straßburg-Stuttgart train to Bois-Colombes (France), 1906

Stuttgart: Hoftheater (1750-1902) / Lusthaus Picture: Lusthaus arcades after relocation to the Schlossgarten park in 1904
Front Text: "Stuttgart. Ehem. Kgl. Lusthaus (Reste)"
Publisher: Verlag Paul Uebele, Stuttgart; 001
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Stuttgart to Nürtingen, 1911

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