Evenitto's guide · NRW, Leipzig, Dresden

Theatres in NRW, Leipzig and Dresden

From the Semperoper and the city theatres of Bochum, Dortmund, Essen and Münster to the Musical Dome in Cologne: the houses that stage the shows we know of.

The big houses

Herkuleskeule ↗

Cabaret

The Herkuleskeule, founded in 1961, is Dresden's cabaret. Since April 2017 it has played in the Kulturpalast on the Altmarkt.

263 shows coming up Website ↗

Semperoper ↗

Opera & Semperoper Ballett

The Semperoper on Theaterplatz reopened on 13 February 1985 with Der Freischütz, 40 years after its destruction in 1945. About 1,300 seats; the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, the Semperoper Ballett and the Sächsischer Staatsopernchor are at home here.

Staatsschauspiel Dresden ↗

Plays & Bürgerbühne

The Staatsschauspiel Dresden plays in the Schauspielhaus on Ostra-Allee, opened in 1913, and in the Kleines Haus in the Neustadt. The Bürgerbühne puts local people on stage.

Staatsoperette Dresden ↗

Operetta & musicals

Since December 2016 the Staatsoperette has played in its new house in the Kraftwerk Mitte, with about 700 seats. Operettas are its core, and light operas and musicals come on top.

Schauspiel Leipzig ↗

Schauspiel Leipzig

The Schauspielhaus on Bosestraße opened in 1957 and is a protected monument. The main stage has 672 seats, with the Hinterbühne and the Diskothek, which shows new writing by young authors, beside it.

Oper Leipzig ↗

Opera, ballet & Musikalische Komödie

Leipzig has had opera since 1693, and the house on Augustusplatz opened in 1960. Opera, the Leipziger Ballett and the Musikalische Komödie play here, usually with the Gewandhausorchester in the pit.

Theater der Jungen Welt ↗

Children's & youth theatre

Founded with a first performance of Emil und die Detektive on 7 November 1946, it is regarded as the oldest professional children's and youth theatre in Germany. Since 2003 it has played in the Theaterhaus in Lindenau.

Schauspiel Köln ↗

Schauspiel Köln

Since September 2026 Schauspiel Köln and Oper Köln are back on Offenbachplatz after 14 years of renovation. The Schauspielhaus has about 830 seats, and the Kleines Haus sits beside it.

Oper Köln ↗

Opera & children's opera

The Oper Köln is back on Offenbachplatz after 14 years of renovation. The opera house and the Kinderoper (children's opera) belong to the Bühnen Köln.

Musical Dome ↗

Musicals

The Musical Dome next to Cologne's main station was built in October 1996 as a temporary venue and has 1,769 seats. It runs musicals in blocks.

Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus ↗

Plays

The Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus was founded in 1904 by Louise Dumont and Gustav Lindemann; Gustaf Gründgens shaped it in the 1950s. Bernhard Pfau's building opened in 1970, with the Kleines Haus and the Junges Schauspiel beside it.

Deutsche Oper am Rhein ↗

Opera & Ballett am Rhein

The joint opera of Düsseldorf and Duisburg since 1956: the Opernhaus on Heinrich-Heine-Allee and the Theater Duisburg are its two home stages.

Capitol Theater ↗

Musicals

The Capitol Theater in Düsseldorf has staged musicals since 1996, in a former Rheinbahn tram depot. It opened with Grease.

Kom(m)ödchen ↗

Cabaret

Kay and Lore Lorentz founded the Kom(m)ödchen in 1947 as a political and literary cabaret. It plays in Düsseldorf's Altstadt on Kay-und-Lore-Lorentz-Platz.

Roncalli's Apollo Varieté ↗

Variety & acrobatics

Roncalli's Apollo Varieté was opened in 1997 by Roncalli founder Bernhard Paul on Düsseldorf's Rhine promenade. It shows acrobatics and variety, with a winter show in the cold months.

Theater Münster ↗

Music theatre, plays & dance

The Großes Haus with about 900 seats opened in 1956 as the city's first new theatre building after the war, and the Kleines Haus followed in 1971. Music theatre, plays, dance and the Junges Theater play here.

Schauspielhaus Bochum ↗

Plays

The present house on Königsallee opened in 1953. Beside the Schauspielhaus there are the Kammerspiele (1966) and a studio stage; Peter Zadek shaped the house in the 1970s.

Starlight Express Theater ↗

Starlight Express

The Starlight Express Theater in Bochum was built in 1988 for the musical. It premiered on 12 June 1988, and Starlight Express has run here ever since.

Aalto-Theater ↗

Opera & Aalto Ballett

The Aalto-Theater was built to a design by Alvar Aalto and opened on 25 September 1988 with Die Meistersinger. About 1,125 seats; the Essener Philharmoniker, the Aalto-Musiktheater and the Aalto Ballett Essen are at home here.

Theater Dortmund ↗

Opera, plays, ballet & children's theatre

Theater Dortmund has six divisions: concerts, opera, plays, ballet, children's and youth theatre, and the Akademie für Theater und Digitalität. The Opernhaus with about 1,170 seats opened in 1966, the Schauspielhaus on Hiltropwall in 1950, and there is the Kinderoper and a house of its own for children's and youth theatre.

Musiktheater im Revier ↗

Opera, musicals & dance

The Musiktheater im Revier in Gelsenkirchen opened in 1959 to plans by Werner Ruhnau. Six works by Yves Klein, including blue sponge reliefs, decorate the house. Opera, musicals, concerts and dance are on the programme.

Every stage

Every theatre and stage with shows in the next twelve months.