A look at the history of the National Theater
Almost every Münchner is able to give precise directions to the National Theater, home of the Bayerische Staatsoper, even though he or she may never have attended a performance there. Located at the end of Maximilianstrasse on Max-Joseph-Platz, the opera house dominates one of the most impressive architectural ensembles in the Bavarian capital. Operatic history in Munich began some 350 years ago in the splendid courtly surroundings of the Hercules Hall of the Residence, in which Elector Ferdinand Maria (1651–79) had installed a theater. Around this time Ferdinand Maria also acquired an old grain storehouse on Salvatorplatz and had it converted into the first freestanding opera house in Germany. The popularity of opera in Munich continued unabated during the reign of Elector Maximilian II Emanuel (1679–1726) and his successors. In 1751 Maximilian III Joseph (1745–77), commissioned court architect François Cuvilliés to design and build a third theater, the (old) Residence Theater, today better known as the Cuvilliés Theater. Cuvilliés’ splendid Rococo building could accommodate only 560, so when the theatrical venue at Salvatorplatz was declared unsafe in 1795, it was decided to erect a replacement that would be open to a wider public. The resulting competition, announced in 1802, for a new opera house was won by 20-year-old Karl von Fischer. After becoming king, Max Joseph required alterations to be made to its plan, in the light of the architecture he had seen on a visit to Paris in 1810—he was especially impressed with the Odéon theater. Construction of the building began in 1811, on the site of the Franciscan monastery on what was to become Max-Joseph-Platz, but by 1813 the Bavarian State’s coffers were severely depleted as a result of the Napoleonic Wars and work was not resumed until King Max Joseph bailed out the civic authorities in 1816. A year later fire destroyed the building’s truss. The National Theater finally opened its doors in 1818. Disaster struck again in January 1823, when another fire broke out during a performance and destroyed the entire building—a sophisticated fire extinguishing mechanism failed to operate because the water pipes were frozen. The task of reconstruction fell to architect Leo von Klenze. By and large he followed Fischer’s plans. After its reopening the house experienced several modifications. In 1854 a storage wing for props had to give way to the broadening of the Maximilianstrasse. In the same year the orchestra pit was enlarged. These minor changes didn’t alter the basic character of the original building, which reflected social changes in the early 19th century. The auditorium, for example, had open tiers rather than boxes. The new name of the opera house underlined the sense of “national” pride that marked this era of German politics. Henceforth world premiers at the National Theater presented predominantly works by German composers, such as Wagner and Strauss. Despite the many political upheavals of the early 20th century, for the National Theater these were peaceful years. The next blow was not struck until 1943, when an Allied bomb destroyed the entire structure. Though it is hard to imagine anything other than the venerable building we see today—an integral part of Munich’s historic center—there was much heated debate in the postwar years on what shape the new opera house should take. Under public pressure, city planners finally opted for a more or less faithful reconstruction, which was carried out from 1958 to 1963. The stage area was redesigned and thereby became one of the largest in the world, including a storage space at the side and two separate backstage areas. The opera’s facade today is a major example of German Neoclassicism. More than half the building is taken up by the stage, cloakrooms, the costume department and administration. The interior is a compromise between preservation and the requirements of a modern theater. Daily guided tours give you the opportunity to enjoy the building at your leisure. On such a tour you will also become acquainted with the auditorium’s extraordinary acoustics as well as the exciting possibilities the technical installations of the stage offer. Today, the Bavarian State Opera puts on 300 performances a year with approximately 2,100 visitors each night. Its wide-ranging repertoire includes pieces by Mozart, Wagner and Strauss and has recently been extended to include Handel. Its reputation as one of the leading opera houses in the world is well deserved.