The Hessian State Theatre Wiesbaden in the Hessian state capital of Wiesbaden is a five-division theatre. The neo-Baroque building was erected from 1892 to 1894 by the Prussian King and German Emperor Wilhelm II to designs by the Viennese architectural firm Fellner & Helmer as the Royal Theatre. Today it has four stages: the Großes Haus (1,041 seats), the Kleines Haus (328 seats), the Studio (89 seats) and the external venue Wartburg (154 seats, since 2003) on the Schwalbacher Straße. It has about 600 employees. From August 2014 to January 2024 the director and actor Uwe Eric Laufenberg was intendant. Since the 2024/25 season Dorothea Hartmann and Beate Heine have formed a dual leadership as intendants. In 1827 the Duke of Nassau opened his new court theatre in the immediate vicinity of the Hotel Nassauer Hof. After Nassau passed to Prussia, it proved towards the end of the 19th century too small structurally for the representative demands of Wilhelm II, King of Prussia and German Emperor.
The Wiesbaden International May Festival, founded in 1896 by Emperor Wilhelm II, is the oldest German theatre festival — each May, international top ensembles perform at the Wiesbaden State Theatre.
At a glance
- Type
- Multi-genre theatre
- Location
- Wiesbaden, Germany
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