The Mannheim National Theatre is one of the oldest and most tradition-rich theatres in Germany, founded in 1779. Its legendary reputation was established by the premiere of Friedrich Schiller's "The Robbers" in 1782 — a groundbreaking event of the Sturm und Drang movement, at which the audience raged with enthusiasm and which made the young Schiller famous overnight. As a four-division house, the National Theatre unites opera, drama, dance, and concerts with a permanent ensemble and is home to the National Theatre Orchestra. The house maintains a special Schiller tradition and is regarded as the "Schiller stage" par excellence. Despite structural renovations, it remains the cultural heart of the city and a central institution of German theatre history.
In 1782 Schiller fled Württemberg military service without permission to attend the "Robbers" premiere in Mannheim — risking arrest and a writing ban from his duke.
At a glance
- Type
- Multi-genre theatre
- Location
- Mannheim, Germany
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