The Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar (DNT) is one of Germany’s most historically distinguished theatres and home to both an outstanding drama and opera ensemble and the Staatskapelle Weimar, one of the world’s oldest orchestras with a rich tradition spanning centuries. Their eventful history is closely associated with the heroes of the classical era, Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Friedrich Schiller, as well as some of the world’s best-known musicians, such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Franz Liszt and Richard Strauss. The theatre and the orchestra proudly look back on numerous world premieres including Schiller’s most famous historical dramas, internationally renowned orchestral works by Liszt and Strauss et al. and operas, e.g. Wagner’s “Lohengrin” and Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel”. Aside from its artistic achievements, the theatre also played a central role in German history when the National Assembly convened at the newly renamed Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar in 1919 to craft the constitution of Germany’s first parliamentary democratic republic, later known as the Weimar Republic.
To this day, the DNT is a popular and esteemed cultural venue which attracts audiences from around the region and throughout the country. The Staatskapelle Weimar enjoys a national and international reputation as a first-class concert orchestra. With more than 800 performances and concerts held at various venues each year, they both strongly contribute to the city’s event calendar. Contemporary interpretations of the German classics and the romantic repertoire play just as an important role as the world premieres of new plays and operas.
