Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old)

Country: Germany (Deutschland)
State: Baden-Württemberg
City: Mannheim
Location: B 3, opposite the Jesuitenkirche

Built in 1776-1777 as "Comödien- und Redoutenhaus" for Kurfürst Carl Theodor von der Pfalz by Lorenzo Quaglio as a rebuilding of an early 18th century warehouse. The complex contained a theatre and a concert hall. Opened 6 Jan 1777 with Johann Christian Bock's comedy "Geschwind, ehe es jemand erfährt" (after Goldoni). Subsequently used by touring theatre companies. Re-opened 7 October 1779 as "Nationaltheater" with a permanent ensemble, again with Bock's "Geschwind, ehe es jemand erfährt". 1801 renamed "Hof- und Nationaltheater". 1853-1855 exterior and interior rebuilding by Joseph Mühldorfer (1305 seats). 1899 electrification. 1901-1902 renovations and modernization. 1934 rebuilding of the stagehouse. 1937 rebuilding of roof. Destroyed by bombs on 5 September 1943.

[Not reconstructed due to insufficent space for a modern theatre within the 18th century building. Hence, a new "Nationaltheater" was built in 1952 on another site at Goetheplatz. Today, the B3 quarter is a park called "Schillerplatz", still decorated by the Friedrich Schiller monument that had been located in front of the theatre entrance since 1862.]

Notable world premieres:

  • Friedrich Schiller: Die Räuber (13 Jan 1782)
  • Max Bruch: Die Loreley (14 June 1863)
  • Hermann Götz: Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung (11 Oct 1874)
  • Hermann Götz: Francesca von Rimini (30 Sep 1877)
  • Hugo Wolf: Der Corregidor (7 June 1896)
  • Eugen d'Albert: Gernot (1897)
  • Leo Fall: Der fidele Bauer (27 July 1907)
  • Egon Wellesz: Das Wunder der Diana / Alkestis (20 Mar 1924)
  • Carl Sternheim: Die Schule von Uznach (21 Sep 1926)
  • Ernst Toch: Egon und Emilie (21 Oct 1928)
  • Georg Kaiser: Mississippi (20 Sep 1930)
  • Ernst Toller/Hermann Kesten: Wunder in Amerika (17 Oct 1931)
  • Berthold Goldschmidt: Der gewaltige Hahnrei (14 Feb 1932)
  • Paul Joseph Cremers: Die Marneschlacht (14 Jan 1933)

Link: Wikidata

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Picture: before the 1853 rebuilding (three-wing structure still visible)
Front Text: "Das Mannheimer Hof- u. Nationaltheater zur Zeit der Erstaufführung von Schillers Räuber (13. Januar 1782)"
Publisher: Kunstanstalt G. Tillmann-Matter, Mannheim; 51
Type: ca. 1900 reproduction postcard of an 18th-century image
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Picture: before the 1853 rebuilding (three-wing structure still visible)
Front Text: "Ein frohes Weihnachtsfest und viel Glück im Neuen Jahr"
Publisher: Werbeverlag R. Gorzinski, Mannheim
Type: Christmas card, reproduction of an old painting, ca. 1990s
Size: Modern
Not sent.

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Picture: above left: theatre, above right: basement restaurant
Front Text: "Gruss aus dem Hoftheaterkeller", "Hof-Theater", "Kaufhaus", "Restaurant Hoftheaterkeller", Mannheim, den"
Publisher: Philipp Frey & Co., Frankfurt am Main
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Mannheim to Straßburg im Elsaß (= Strasbourg, France), 1900
Detail:
Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old)

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Front Text: "Schiller-Denkmal vor dem Gr. Hoftheater in Mannheim. Friedrich Schiller, geb. 10. Novbr. 1759, gest. 9. Mai 1805."
Publisher: Kunstanstalt Hermann Ludwig, Leipzig-R.
Type: Undivided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: from Heilbronn to Nordhausen, 1905

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Front Text: "Mannheim - Hoftheater und Schillerdenkmal"
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Sent: by German Forces' Postal Service, from Mannheim to Schotten/Oberhessen, 1914

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Front Text: "Mannheim Hoftheater"
Handwritten Reverse Text: dated March 1919
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Front Text: "Mannheim National-Theater"
Handwritten Reverse Text: dated 17 March 1930
Publisher: Verlag von Emil Hartmann, Mannheim
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Front Text: "Mannheim - National-Theater"
Publisher: ?; 7414
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Front Text: "Mannheim - Schillerplatz mit National-Theater"
Publisher: Kunstverlag Felix Korn, Stuttgart-N., Nr. 10362
Type: Real Photo
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Reverse Text: "Mannheim, Am Nationaltheater"
Publisher: Verlag Heinrich Hoffmann, Straßburg
Size: Modern
Not sent.

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Front Text: "Flugzeugaufnahme von Mannheim"
Publisher: Hansa-Luftbild G.m.b.H., Archiv Badisch-Pfälzische Flugbetrieb A.G., Mannheim; 6828
Type: Real Photo
Size: Classic
Not sent.
Detail:
Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old)

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Postmark
Text: "Friedrich Schiller", "Mannheim 150 Jahre National-Theater"
Sent: within Mannheim, 18 Apr 1929

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Front Text: "Nationaltheater Mannheim", signed: "HMade 32"
Publisher: Heinrich Rieser, Offenbach am Main
Type: Divided Back
Size: Classic
Not sent.

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Front Text: "Mannheim - Nationaltheater"
Publisher: Verlag Wilhelm Maul, Ludwigshafen am Rhein; 581
Type: Real Photo
Size: Classic
Sent: from Mannheim to Bremen, 1940

Mannheim: Nationaltheater (old) Front Text: "Mannheim, Nationaltheater"
Type: Real Photo
Size: Classic
Sent: from Ludwigshafen to Kaiserslautern, 1940

Other cards in my collection (1. showing a painting of the old Nationaltheater by Mathias Artaria, 2. showing a tondo relief of Sophocles from the proscenium of the old Nationaltheater, 3. showing the Dalberg stage model of c. 1800, all published by Reiß-Museum der Stadt Mannheim, Theatersammlung) cannot be shown here for legal reasons.

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