VISIT MUNICH'S NATIONAL THEATRE

At the time of its construction, the National Theatre was the largest free-standing theatre building in Europe and the largest theatre in Germany. To this day, it remains the largest in Central Europe, with the exception of festival theatres. Only very few opera houses have larger capacities, e.g. Paris, Milan, Naples and Barcelona - outside Europe Sydney, San Francisco, New York and the largest opera house of all: Buenos Aires.

After the opera house burnt down in 1823, it was rebuilt in 1823/25. Leo von Klenze, the future court architect of Ludwig I, was in charge of the building work. He made minor changes to the interior, but on the whole kept to Fischer's conception. On the outside, he added the second, smaller portico, which can be seen here. To finance the reconstruction, the so-called "beer penny" was created: an extra tax on the purchase of the Bavarian national drink.

On the forecourt, you can see the statue of the Opera's builder, Max Joseph I.. This statue was created by the people of Munich shortly before his death, but the old king categorically refused to erect it because he considered its depiction in a seated position undignified. It was only years after his death that his son Ludwig I approved the erection of the statue. During World War II, the square was also largely destroyed, only the old king remained intact, which led some to the perhaps somewhat heretical question of what would have become of him if he had actually been standing ...

The National Theatre has 2,101 seats (seated and standing), of which just under 900 are in the stalls.

The Royal Box is particularly highlighted by the two ancient caryatids on Doric shafts on either side. In former times, this was the place of the kings of Bavaria and their guests. Today it is the box of the Bavarian Minister President and the State Chancellery. It is always decided there shortly before a performance (usually two weeks before the performance) whether the box is needed or not. If it is free, the seats go on sale (most expensive category).

On the occasion of the premiere of Die Meistersinger on 21.06.1868, Ludwig II had Wagner called into the box after the end of the performance. Wagner to the royal box after the end of the performance and he was allowed to be celebrated by the audience from here. The King remained in the background. Some people in Munich saw this as an affront to the royal dignity. It was thought that Wagner had turned the king's head. The next day, the newspapers published a nasty caricature showing Wagner smugly posing as a ruler in the royal box of the National Theatre.

The entire auditorium was rebuilt true to the original, so that today we still have the impression that visitors had in 1818 when they came to see a performance. During the reconstruction, some fashionable "sins" of the later 19th century were taken back, because the stuccowork was partly coloured at the end of the 19th century.

The large main curtain was not restored after the war. The old curtain depicted a scene with the god Apollo, similar to the one in front of the house in the smaller columned portico.

Our decorative curtain measures approx. 15 * 20 m on each side at about 400 kg each. Its even drape is maintained even when opening and closing thanks to a remarkable mechanism: The rope is guided by a special scissor construction.

The standard size of the changeable stage opening is approx. 17m wide and 14m high.

Above the stage, in the stage tower, at a height of almost 30 m, is the so-called lacing floor. In 1992, the upper machinery was converted from hydraulic to electric drives, and in 2005 the control system was modernised. Today we have 111 axles (or drives) in the main stage area. Most of them are rod hoists, but there are also point hoists, the round horizon and skylights, i.e. lighting units that can also be used as load hoists (as happened for the enormously heavy ceiling in the Walküre: approx. 20 t). All hoists can be loaded with about 500 kg, with skylight hoists we move in the range of up to 6 t (of which approx. 2 t dead load). The movements are controlled from the working gallery, where several fixed and mobile control consoles are available. A total of 30 trains can travel simultaneously at different speeds in different directions.

The house had pure candle lighting until 1854/55 - on the stage and in the auditorium, which remained lit during the performance because the pure stage lighting would otherwise not have been sufficient. A nightmare for every fireman. Then, in the middle of the 19th century, gas lighting was introduced. Now it was possible to regulate and dim the light and even work with lighting effects. But it was still a fire hazard. At the end of the 19th century, the National Theatre was one of the first theatres in Europe to be completely electrified.

From the gallery, you can also see the large chandelier particularly well, which can be lowered to the stalls floor. Normally it hangs only 4m lower and then when the performance is darkened at the beginning, it is pulled up so that the visitors in the gallery/centre can see not only the chandelier but the stage.

Technical data of the chandelier:
Weight approx. 3,600 kg.
Height: 7m
Diameter: 6m
70,000 individual parts

Karl von Fischer built in the neoclassical style. Greco-Roman antiquity was the great model he emulated. He implemented this in strict form in the National Theatre building. Dominated by the two Ionic columns, this room is called the Ionic Hall.

The Ionian Halls are in blue and white, the national colours of Bavaria. The building materials are marble (staircase, plinth and pedestals) and above all stucco (also marbled stucco on the walls).

Like the Ionian Halls, the King's Hall has been faithfully reconstructed. The predominant colour is purple, already the royal colour in antiquity.

The chandeliers and candlesticks in the house were not restored to the way they were before the war. Direct models were no longer available. These chandeliers were based on French models. They were also made in France.

In the past, receptions for guests of the king were also held in the Königsaal. At the opening of the Opera Festival, the Bavarian Prime Minister gives a small drink here for special guests. Sometimes also during the season for state guests.