Großherzogliches Hoftheater Karolinenplatz

About a century later, Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse, built a court theatre open to the citizens. The architect Georg Moller built a theatre with 2000 seats and advanced stage machinery, opened in 1819. It burnt down in 1871 and was restored in seven years.^[1]

Landestheater Karolinenplatz

In 1919 the theatre became a Landestheater. The former building was made the small stage (Kleines Haus). Director Gustav Hartung [de] (1920–1924 and 1931–1933) made the theatre famous for premieres of contemporary authors. He was forced to flee by the Nazis. Actress Lilli Palmer, then 20 years old, emigrated to Paris. Both halls of the theatre were destroyed by bombs in the night 11 to 12 September 1944. After the war a provisional stage was found in the Orangerie, where the company played for almost three decades. It was known for plays during the times of directors Rudolf Sellner (1951–1961) and Gerhard F. Hering [de] (1961–1971).^[1] The play Männersache by Franz Xaver Kroetz premiered in 1972.^[2] In 1966 Maciej Łukaszczyk arrived and worked as a Répétiteur at the Landestheater Darmstadt. In 1970 he founded the Chopin Organisation.

Staatstheater Georg-Büchner-Platz

In 1972, the theater was named Staatstheater.^[3] In his influential tenure as Intendant from 1976 to 1984, Kurt Horres directed highly regarded contemporary operas.^[3] Reinhard Febel's opera Morels Erfindung premiered on 6 November 1994.^[4] Jan Müller-Wieland's chamber opera in one act Die Nachtigall und die Rose was first performed in 1996,^[5] Die Versicherung after a play by Peter Weiss in 1999.^[6] In 2010, Orff's early opera Gisei premiered.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Honorary members

Source:^[23]

• Karl Böhm, general music director (1927–1931)
• Harro Dicks [de], opera director (16 August 1951 – 31 October 1976)
• Hans Drewanz, general music director (16 August 1963 – 31 December 1994)
• Gerhard F. Hering [de], Intendant (1961–1971)
• George Maran, tenor (16 August 1956 – 30 November 1995)
• Manfred Michel, director (16 August 1970 – 31 March 1994)
• Gustav Rudolf Sellner, Intendant (1951–1961)