# Leipzig Opera
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{{Short description|Opera house in Leipzig, Germany}}
thumb|Frontage of Leipzig Opera building.
thumb|Frontage of Leipzig Opera building during night.
thumb|right|Interior of Leipzig Opera
The '''Leipzig Opera''' ({{Langx|de|'''Oper Leipzig'''}}) is an [opera house](/source/opera_house) and [opera](/source/opera) company located at the [Augustusplatz](/source/Augustusplatz) and the [Inner City Ring Road](/source/Inner_City_Ring_Road_(Leipzig)) at its east side in [Leipzig's](/source/Leipzig) district [Mitte](/source/Leipzig-Mitte), Germany.
==History==
Performances of opera in Leipzig trace back to [Singspiel](/source/Singspiel) performances beginning in the year 1693.[{{cite web | title=Oper Leipzig | website=Oper Leipzig | url=https://www.leipzig.de//freizeit-kultur-und-tourismus/kunst-und-kultur/buehne/oper-leipzig | language=de | access-date=21 May 2022}}] The composer of many early operas at the first opera house, the [Oper am Brühl](/source/Oper_am_Br%C3%BChl), was [Telemann](/source/Georg_Philipp_Telemann). He was director of the house from 1703 to 1705.[{{cite web | last=Loh-Kliesch | first=André | title=Telemann, Georg Philipp – Musiker und Komponist | website=Leipzig-Lexikon | url=https://www.leipzig-lexikon.de/biogramm/Telemann_Georg_Philipp.htm | language=de | access-date=21 May 2022}}]
The Leipzig Opera does not have its own opera orchestra – the [Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra](/source/Leipzig_Gewandhaus_Orchestra) performs as its orchestra. This relationship began in 1766 with performances of the [Singspiel](/source/Singspiel) ''{{Lang|de|[Die verwandelten Weiber, oder Der Teufel ist los](/source/Die_verwandelten_Weiber)}}'' by [Johann Adam Hiller](/source/Johann_Adam_Hiller).
==Opera House, 1868==
thumb|right|Neues Theater, circa 1900.
The previous theater (the "{{Lang|de|Neues Theater}}") was inaugurated on 28 January 1868 with ''Jubilee Overture'' by [Carl Maria von Weber](/source/Carl_Maria_von_Weber) and the overture for ''[Iphigénie en Aulide](/source/Iphig%C3%A9nie_en_Aulide)'' by [Gluck](/source/Christoph_Willibald_Gluck) and [Goethe](/source/Johann_Wolfgang_von_Goethe)'s play ''[Iphigenia in Tauris](/source/Iphigenia_in_Tauris_(Goethe))''.[{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Strad/gYEJAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&bsq=%22Leipzig%20Opera%22%20%221868%22%20-wikipedia%20Neues%20Theater |title=The Strad: A Monthly Journal for Professionals and Amateurs of All Stringed Instruments Played with the Bow |date=1962 |pages=331 |language=en}}] From 1886 to 1888, [Gustav Mahler](/source/Gustav_Mahler) was the second conductor; [Arthur Nikisch](/source/Arthur_Nikisch) was his superior. During an [air raid](/source/Strategic_bombing) in the night of 3 December 1943, part of the [bombing of Leipzig in World War II](/source/bombing_of_Leipzig_in_World_War_II), the theater was destroyed, as were all of Leipzig's theatres.
==Opera House, 1960==
Construction of the modern opera house began in 1956. The theater was inaugurated on 8 October 1960 with a performance of [Wagner](/source/Richard_Wagner)'s ''[Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg](/source/Die_Meistersinger_von_N%C3%BCrnberg)''.[[https://web.archive.org/web/20140911001810/http://www.oper-leipzig-technik.de/pdf_dokumente/eroffnungsprogramm.pdf "Die ersten Vorstellungen in der Neuen Oper Leipzig"], Oper Leipzig – Die Technik, archived from [http://www.oper-leipzig-technik.de/pdf_dokumente/eroffnungsprogramm.pdf the original] {{in lang|de}}.]
[Ulf Schirmer](/source/Ulf_Schirmer) became ''[Generalmusikdirektor](/source/Generalmusikdirektor)'' (General Music Director, or GMD) of the company in 2009. He was elected artistic director (''Intendant'') in 2011 for a five-year term.[{{Cite web|url=https://www.l-iz.de/kultur/theater/2019/02/Ulf-Schirmer-macht-2022-Schluss-Oper-Leipzig-sucht-neuen-Intendanten-259995|title=Ulf Schirmer macht 2022 Schluss: Oper Leipzig sucht neuen Intendanten|date=19 February 2019|website=Leipziger Zeitung |language=de}}] Schirmer stood down from both posts in 2022.
Tobias Wolff became ''Intendant'' of the company in 2022.[{{cite web|title=Dramaturg Tobias Wolff wird neuer Opernchef in Leipzig |url=https://www.nmz.de/kiz/nachrichten/dramaturg-tobias-wolff-wird-neuer-opernchef-in-leipzig |work=[Neue Musikzeitung](/source/Neue_Musikzeitung) (NMZ) |date=25 June 2019 |access-date=25 May 2023 |language=de}}] Christoph Gedschold became music director of the company as of the 2022–2023 season. In May 2023, the company announced that Gedschold is to stand down as its music director as of the close of the 2023–2024 season.[{{cite web|title=Christoph Gedschold, Musikdirektor der Oper Leipzig, wechselt nach Kopenhagen |url=https://www.nmz.de/kiz/nachrichten/christoph-gedschold-musikdirektor-der-oper-leipzig-wechselt-nach-kopenhagen |work=[Neue Musikzeitung](/source/Neue_Musikzeitung) (NMZ) |date=25 May 2023 |access-date=25 May 2023 |language=de}}]
==General music directors (partial list)==
* [Arthur Nikisch](/source/Arthur_Nikisch) (1878)
* [Gustav Mahler](/source/Gustav_Mahler) (1886–1888)
* [Otto Lohse](/source/Otto_Lohse) (1912)
* [Gustav Brecher](/source/Gustav_Brecher) (1923)
* {{ill|Paul Schmitz|de|Paul Schmitz (Dirigent)}} (1932)
* {{ill|Helmut Seydelmann|de}} (1951)
* Paul Schmitz (1964)
* [Lothar Zagrosek](/source/Lothar_Zagrosek) (1990–1992)
* [Jiří Kout](/source/Ji%C5%99%C3%AD_Kout) (1993)
* [Michail Jurowski](/source/Michail_Jurowski) (1999)
* [Riccardo Chailly](/source/Riccardo_Chailly) (2005–2008)[{{cite web|title=Dramatischer Abgang |website=[Deutschlandfunk Kultur](/source/Deutschlandfunk_Kultur) |date=20 May 2021 |url=https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/dramatischer-abgang-100.html |language=de |access-date=21 May 2022}}]
* [Ulf Schirmer](/source/Ulf_Schirmer) (2009–2022)[{{cite web|title=Schirmer wird Generalmusikdirektor in Leipzig | website=[Augsburger Allgemeine](/source/Augsburger_Allgemeine) |date=4 November 2019 |url=https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/kultur/Schirmer-wird-Generalmusikdirektor-in-Leipzig-id5354441.html |language=de |access-date=21 May 2022}}]
* {{ill|Christoph Gedschold|de}} (2022–present)
==World premieres==
Several operas received their premiere in Leipzig, including:
{{div col}}
* 1826: ''[Oberon](/source/Oberon_(Weber))'' by Weber (first production in Germany)
* 1828: ''[Der Vampyr](/source/Der_Vampyr)'' by Marschner
* 1837: ''[Zar und Zimmermann](/source/Zar_und_Zimmermann)'' by Lortzing
* 1850: ''[Genoveva](/source/Genoveva)'' by Schumann
* 1902: ''{{ill|Orestes (Weingartner)|de|lt=Orestes}}'' by [Felix Weingartner](/source/Felix_Weingartner)
*1906: ''[The Wreckers](/source/The_Wreckers_(opera))'' by [Ethel Smyth](/source/Ethel_Smyth)
* 1927: ''[Jonny spielt auf](/source/Jonny_spielt_auf)'' by Krenek
* 1930: ''[Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny](/source/Aufstieg_und_Fall_der_Stadt_Mahagonny)'' by Weill
* 1931: ''[Die Blume von Hawaii](/source/Die_Blume_von_Hawaii)'' by Abraham
* 1933: ''[Der Silbersee](/source/Der_Silbersee)'' by Weill
* 1937: ''Viola'' by [Ludwig Schmidseder](/source/Ludwig_Schmidseder)
* 1943: ''[Catulli Carmina](/source/Catulli_Carmina)'' by Orff
* 1966: ''[Guyana Johnny](/source/Guyana_Johnny)'' by [Alan Bush](/source/Alan_Bush)
* 1971: ''[Der zerbrochne Krug](/source/Der_zerbrochne_Krug)'' by [Fritz Geißler](/source/Fritz_Gei%C3%9Fler)
* 1988: ''Der Idiot'' by [Karl Ottomar Treibmann](/source/Karl_Ottomar_Treibmann)
* 1991: ''Matka'' by [Annette Schlünz](/source/Annette_Schl%C3%BCnz)
* 1993: ''Nachtwache'' by [Jörg Herchet](/source/J%C3%B6rg_Herchet)
* 1993: ''Dienstag'' from ''[Licht](/source/Licht)'' by Stockhausen
* 1996: ''Freitag'' from ''Licht'' by Stockhausen
* 1997: ''Abraum'' by [Jörg Herchet](/source/J%C3%B6rg_Herchet)
* 2001: ''Persephone oder der Ausgleich der Welten'' by [Günter Neubert](/source/G%C3%BCnter_Neubert)
* 2006: ''Der schwarze Mönch'' by [Philippe Hersant](/source/Philippe_Hersant)
* 2009: ''Rituale – eine Tanzoper für Georg Friedrich Händel'' by [Heike Hennig](/source/Heike_Hennig)
* 2009: ''Das Wesentliche ist unsichtbar'', production of the opera's children's choir
* 2010: ''Monsieu Mathieu, was wird?'' production of the opera's children's choir with schools, music by [Bruno Coulais](/source/Bruno_Coulais) and [Christophe Barratier](/source/Christophe_Barratier)
* 2011: ''Was, wäre, wenn?'' production of the opera's children's choir
* 2011: ''Waldrandgeflüster'', production of the opera's youth and children's choir[{{cite web|last=Kühn | first=Steffen |title=Zauber des gemeinsamen Singens |website=Leipzig Almanach |date=7 November 2011 |url=https://www.leipzig-almanach.de/2011/11/07/zauber-des-gemeinsamen-singens/ |language=de |access-date=21 May 2022}}]
* 2015: ''The Canterville Ghost'' by [Gordon Getty](/source/Gordon_Getty)[{{cite web|title=Premiere des Doppelabends "The Canterville Ghost" und "Pagliacci" im Mai 2015 an der Oper Leipzig |publisher=Leipzig.de |date=4 May 2015 |url=https://www.leipzig.de//news/news/premiere-des-doppelabends-the-canterville-ghost-und-pagliacci-im-mai-2015-an-der-oper-leipzig |language=de |access-date=21 May 2022}}]
{{div col end}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Opernhaus Leipzig}}
* {{official|http://www.oper-leipzig.de}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100428215308/http://www.amadelio.com/amadelio_vlog/archiv/archiv_vlog_rel/vlog_2006_diaz.htm Interview with Damien Diaz, Principal Dancer under Uwe Scholz]
* {{discogs artist|Orchestra Opera Leipzig}}
{{Portal bar|Opera|Germany}}
{{authority control}}
{{coord|51|20|25|N|12|22|53|E|region:DE-SN_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki|display=title}}
Category:Opera houses in Germany
Category:German opera companies
Category:Buildings and structures in Leipzig
Category:Tourist attractions in Leipzig
Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1693
Category:Theatres completed in the 1690s
Category:Music venues completed in 1693
Category:Theatres completed in 1868
Category:Music venues completed in 1868
Category:Theatres completed in 1960
Category:Music venues completed in 1960
Category:1693 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire
Category:Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
Category:Augustusplatz
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Leipzig Opera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leipzig_Opera) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leipzig_Opera?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.