Tour of the City

The Mannheim National Theatre has had a very eventful past, as one can see by its many different and contrasting buildings. The historical National Theatre in B 3, for instance, underwent a number of reconstructions, the changes by Joseph Mühldorfer 1853-55 being the most noteworthy. The famous theatre designer and decorator, architect and engineer entirely changed, among other things, the exterior form of the building by constructing a fourth floor and roofing over the courtyards. These traditional features, however, were completely destroyed during World War II. (September 1943).

On January 13th 1957 the new building that replaced the destroyed National Theatre was formally and officially opened. On this occasion Schiller's "The Robbers", exactly 175 years after the very day of the legendary Mannheim première of the play, was symbolically performed in the "Schauspielhaus". The city of Mannheim, in accordance with its great tradition, drew up plans for and then built a modern double theatre with an opera and a theatre stage. The in parts serious technical and operational defects, disclosed in a safety expert's report in 1987, were eliminated in three renovation phases between 1988 and 94. The two auditoriums, with a length of 133 metres and a width of 54.70 metres and 41.10 metres respectively (east and west side) can seat 1,200 people in the "Opernhaus" and, depending on the type of event, 600-800 in the "Schauspielhaus". The main cornice is situated 18 metres and the stage tower 33.5 metres above ground level. During the main renovation, the stages were modernised and fitted out with the latest technology (stage equipment, controls and lighting technology).

The National Theatre has on average 60 productions in its repertoire, 40 of them being operas, operettas or musicals and about 20 plays. About 40 productions are put on every season.

Address:Nationaltheater Mannheim 
Goetheplatz 
68161 Mannheim 
Tel.: 0621/2 48 44
 www.nationaltheater-mannheim.de