The Baden-Baden Theatre

The beginnings 
The Baden-Baden Theatre, located on Goetheplatz and directly on Lichtentaler Allee, is one of the oldest theatres still in operation in Germany. It was built in 1862 on the initiative of the casino tenant Edouard Bénazet and is characterized by its classicist exterior façade and French rococo-style interior, designed by the architect Charles Couteau. The grand opening took place on August 7, 1862 with Conradin Kreutzer's "Night Camp of Granada" and a day later with Hector Berlioz' opera "Béatrice et Bénédict", which Berlioz composed especially for this house.

After the opening
Initially, the Theatre was mainly enlivened by guest performances and musical performances. Unforgettable highlights include a concert by Johann Strauss in 1872, the rehearsal performance of the "Double Concerto" in 1887 under the direction of Johannes Brahms and Richard Strauss' appearance at the 1906 Music Festival. In 1918, during the First World War, Baden-Baden was given its own ensemble, the Städtische Schauspielen. After ideological appropriation during the Nazi era, the Theatre once again served democratic education under French occupation after the Second World War and was officially reopened in April 1946. A comprehensive renovation from 1989 to 1992 equipped the Theatre with state-of-the-art technology.

Today
Nicola May has been the artistic director of the Baden-Baden Theatre since the 2004/2005 season. The theatre has three venues: the large auditorium with up to 500 seats, the Spiegelfoyer with 30 seats and the Theatre im Kulissenhaus (TIK) with 60 seats, the venue of the Junges Theatre Baden-Baden. The repertoire comprises an ensemble of around 17 actors, supplemented by guest engagements. In addition to spoken theater, musical productions such as plays with music and musicals are also shown. Every year, an opera is staged in a co-production with the Festival Hall Baden-Baden and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. An open-air performance on Baden-Baden's market square is also part of the program. Numerous collaborations with municipal and cultural institutions strengthen the Theatre's network.

On the game plan
Theatre Baden-Baden presents dynamic and contemporary performances in its picturesque building. Classics in a modern interpretation, modern works, world premieres and German-language premieres are on the program. The repertoire allows for a variety of genres such as comedy, musicals and drama within a week. The evening schedule includes various subscriptions, while the Young Theatre plays in blocks and often offers school performances in the morning.