Oldenburg State Theatre [Oldenburg]
Oldenburgisches Staatstheater
Theatre building in Oldenburg, Germany
operagebouw in Nedersaksen, Duitsland
Oldenburg State Theatre
Built 1879-1881 as Großherzoglisches Residenztheater (also known as Hoftheater) by Gerhard Schnitger. Opened Oct 1881 with Goethe's Iphigenie auf Tauris. Destroyed by fire in 1891. 1892-1893 rebuilt and extended by Paul Schnitger. Re-opened 1893 with Shakespeare's Der Kaufmann von Venedig (The Merchant of Venice). 1919 renamed Oldenburgisches Landestheater. 1938 renamed Oldenburgisches Staatstheater. 1969-1974 extension by new foyers and backstage areas. 1998 major extension by the Kleines Haus. 2010-2011 major restoration. - The complex contains three halls: the Großes Haus (510 to 577 seats + 50 standing), the Kleines Haus (350 seats), and the studio theatre Spielraum (80 seats). Used for performances by the resident state opera, drama, ballet and youth theatre companies. Also used for drama performances in Low German by the August-Hinrichs-Bühne company.
Fire broke out at midnight, two hours after performance. A burning fortress had been represented on the stage. Origin of fire not known. Nothing saved. No lives lost.