Wiesbaden, the capital of Hesse, is the multifaceted cultural center of the Rhine-Main region. As one of the oldest spas in Europe, a cultural infrastructure developed here as early as the beginning of the 19th century to offer guests from the nobility, politics and other VIPs exclusive hours of entertainment. The magnificent centrepiece was the Hessian State Theatre near the spa centre, where guests could unwind in the impressive atmosphere of opera and drama.
Even today, the Great House shines in all its Wilhelminian splendour and its interior impresses with its lavish design. Structurally expanded, the Hessian State Theatre today delights a huge audience as a multi-genre house with a variety of brilliant performances of different genres of the performing arts.
Imperial splendour in the heart of the spa town of Wiesbaden
As early as 1827, the ducal court theatre near the Grandhotel Nassauer Hof, the predecessor of the New Royal Court Theatre, opened for business. Due to the great popularity of the spa guests, it reached its capacity limits at the end of the 19th century. Emperor Wilhelm II, as initiator and patron, saw the necessity for the construction of a new theatre. After an architectural competition, the renowned Viennese theatre architects Ferdinand Fellner the Younger and Hermann Helmer were commissioned with the construction of the neo-baroque building. After an astonishingly short construction period of only 22 months, the imperially celebrated premiere took place on 16 October 1894 under the eyes of Wilhelm II.
The emperor had paid around 1.8 million gold marks for this prestigious building, which was modelled on the stately splendour of the theatres in Prague and Vienna and at the same time provided excellent conditions for visually and acoustically unique productions. Only eight years after the opening, the emperor invested a further 600,000 marks in a magnificent foyer on the east side of the main building. The entire structure was supplemented by functional rooms such as workshops and a rehearsal stage.
From the royal court theatre to a modern multi-venue theatre
A stage fire in 1923 and the bombing at the end of the Second World War caused severe damage to the dome of the stage tower and the north side with the ceiling of the auditorium, the columned portico of the theatre colonnade and the architecturally lavishly decorated box office hall, which were rebuilt in simplified form. The theatre, which has been under the sponsorship of the State of Hesse since 1946, hosted the premiere performance of the post-war Greater Hesse State Theatre in 1947, which was then named the Hessian State Theatre Wiesbaden.
Through constant and costly renovations, the theatre has lost none of its beauty with its neo-baroque theatre hall, the rococo foyer, the theatre colonnade and many sculptures standing around the house. In addition, constant technical updates today ensure brilliant listening and viewing pleasures on four stages. In addition to over 30 new productions each year in the genres of opera, drama and ballet, ranging from classical to contemporary, the traditional May Festival is the absolute highlight of the theatre season every year.
Moments of pleasure - not only for theatre lovers
The Hessian State Theatre also impresses with its location. The magnificent façade with the main entrance in the middle of the theatre colonnades faces the Bowling Green, a beautiful lawn with a magnificent cascading fountain and water areas. The Kurhaus, Kaiser-Friedrich-Platz and the Kurpark are in the immediate vicinity.
If you would like to take a look behind the scenes, guided theatre tours provide insights into the theatre in Wiesbaden. The opera gastronomy, which spoils visitors of the State Theatre with regional products from farmers and winegrowers of the Rheingau, provides extraordinary moments of pleasure. Thus, a visit to the Hessian State Theatre is in the truest sense a pleasure for all the senses.
