Staatstheater Karlsruhe

The Baden State Theatre Karlsruhe is a multi-division theatre in Karlsruhe. It comprises opera, ballet, concert, drama and the divisions Junges Staatstheater and Volkstheater, founded in 2011. Attached to the theatre are the Baden State Chapel Karlsruhe and the Baden State Opera Chorus. The house is the main venue of the annual Handel Festival Karlsruhe. Every two years the State Theatre is one of the hosts of the European Cultural Days and of the Premières festival. The general intendant since 2024 is Christian Firmbach. As one of two state theatres, the Baden State Theatre is under the sponsorship of the state of Baden-Württemberg; the city of Karlsruhe bears half of the subsidy requirement. The first predecessor of the State Theatre Karlsruhe was built by 1808 by the Baden building director Friedrich Weinbrenner on the Schlossplatz. In 1810 it became the Grand Ducal Court Theatre. On 28 February 1847 a fire broke out during a performance, completely destroying the building, which was mainly built of canvas and wood. Despite the very swift arrival of the Durlach firefighters under Christian Hengst in only 28 minutes, 63 visitors died because the doors opened inward and panic broke out. This led worldwide to changes in building regulations for public buildings. The successor building by court architect Heinrich Hübsch was completed in 1853.