Leipzig’s New Theatre, located on the north side of Augustusplatz, was one of the city’s most important cultural buildings and the predecessor of the current Leipzig Opera House. Built between 1864 and 1868 to a design by Carl Ferdinand Langhans, it was distinguished by its classicist-inspired architecture and impressive sculptural details. The theatre was destroyed during the Second World War and, despite its historical significance, was finally demolished in 1950.
The design of the edifice, created by Langhans, was developed in detail by the Leipzig architect Otto Brückwald. The theatre, opened on 28 January 1868 with a production of Goethe’s play Iphigenia in Tauride, had 1,700 seats and 300 standing places. It was intended for drama, opera and ballet performances, although it soon became primarily the home of the Leipzig Opera, as it did not fully meet the needs of a dramatic theatre.
The New Theatre in Leipzig in 1900. Source: Photoglob AG, Zürich, Switzerland or Detroit Publishing Company, Detroit, Michigan
The building was distinguished by its exceptional sculptural craftsmanship. The façade of the theatre was decorated with numerous works of art. The tympanum above the vestibule depicted poetry inspiring other arts and was commissioned by Hugo Hagen. On either side of the tympanum were acrotéries depicting Apollo, Clio and Calliope, while the bas-reliefs on the side gables symbolised Bacchus and Ceres, the heralds of culture. Artists such as Eduard Lürssen, August Wittig and Emil Schiele were responsible for their execution.
The building in 1900 and 2022. Photo: https://codingdavinci.de and Roy Zuo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In the front of the building were busts of 15 poets, from Sophocles to Shakespeare and Goethe, based on a design by Hermann Knaur. A fountain with Cupid and a dolphin and other art déco details completed the majestic ensemble. Most of the sculptures were cast in zinc in Berlin and covered with bronze.
The back of the theatre in the early 20th century and in 2019. Photo by Deutsche Fotothek and MatteoBroc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
During World War II, on 4 December 1943, the theatre was severely damaged by Allied air raids. Luckily, however, the damage was, compared to other German cities, minor. The losses were mainly suffered by the Old Town (Altstadt), which was only partially rebuilt. However, other districts were saved, so that Leipzig today has one of the best-preserved architectural ensembles from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Augustusplatz in the 1930s and today. Photo by Deutsche Fotothek and Derbrauni, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In the ruins of the theatre, however, sculptural elements, such as the tympanum and bas-reliefs, were preserved as evidence of the building’s former glory. After the war, despite the possibility of reconstruction, the ruins were finally demolished in 1950 by the GDR authorities. The decision was justified by the desire to build a new theatre that would better meet the needs of modern times.
The New Theatre in Leipzig in the early 20th century and today. Photo: Deutsche Fotothek and Google Maps
The New Theatre was replaced by the new Leipzig Opera House between 1954 and 1960, designed by Kunz Nierade and Kurt Hemmerling. The building combines features of neo-classicism and post-war modernism to create a building with a new identity, but one that continues Leipzig’s musical tradition.
Some of the sculptural elements survived and have been preserved. In 1993, during the celebrations of the 300th anniversary of the Leipzig Opera, segments of the tympanum weighing about three tonnes were installed in the green square near the current Opera House, reminding us of the former glory of the New Theatre.
Source: mahlerfoundation.org, rundfunkschaetze.de
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