The Hamburgische Staatsoper on Dammtorstraße is one of the most tradition-rich opera houses in Germany — founded in 1678 as the first publicly accessible opera house outside Italy. The young Georg Friedrich Handel conducted his first opera Almira here in 1705. The current building opened in 1955 after the historic 1827 opera house was destroyed in the war. The building is an icon of West German post-war modernism. The Hamburg Ballet under John Neumeier (1973-2024) brought the house international recognition; the opera produces about nine premieres per season and is home to the Philharmonic State Orchestra Hamburg. The Hamburg Ballet under John Neumeier brought the house worldwide acclaim over five decades.
At the 1955 reopening the house played "Fidelio" — but only a fraction of Hamburg's population could fit inside, and loudspeakers relayed the premiere to the street outside.
At a glance
- Type
- Opera house
- Location
- Hamburg, Germany
- Address
- Große Theaterstraße 25, 20354 Hamburg
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