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About the house Dresden and its majestic his toric centre are home to a cultural heritage of international significance. Precious paintings, leading musical ensembles and imposing buildings from diverse eras attract several thousand visitors each year. One of the world’s most famous musical venues can also be found in this city on the Elbe – the Semperoper Dresden, an institution with an international reputation, an outstanding ensemble and star guests from Germany and elsewhere. This is also the home of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, founded in 1548 by Prince Moritz of Saxony as his court orchestra, and thus one of the world’s oldest orchestras. Steeped in musical tradition, the ensemble has been shaped by its many prominent directors: Heinrich Schütz and Carl Maria von Weber both worked here, while Richard Wagner called the Staatskapelle his »miraculous harp«. Richard Strauss was also closely linked to the orchestra for almost seventy years. Christian Thielemann is the Principal Conductor since 2012. The opera chorus, founded by Carl Maria von Weber in 1817, is well-known to audiences around the world through their many concerts and CD productions. Weber also fought to secure a permanent ballet company for the city. The 1920s saw ballet at the Semperoper enjoy its first artistic flowering, to be followed by other great choreographies under ballet directors Tom Schilling, Harald Wandtke and Vladimir Derevianko. Aaron S. Watkin became director of the Semperoper Ballett in 2006. His artistic vision is: Breaking down the borders EN
that traditionally exist between classical and contemporary dance and redefining dance as a culmination of both. And the Semperoper has even more to offer: operatic history has been written here. This was where Richard Wagner presented the premieres of »Rienzi«, the »Flying Dutchman« and »Tannhäuser«. And the name of Richard Strauss is also eternally linked to the Semperoper. Nine of his operas were premiered here, including »Salome«, »Der Rosenkavalier« and »Elektra«. Over the centuries, tradition and modernity have gone hand in hand in the Semperoper. After its destruction during the bombing of February 13th, 1945, the opera house was later painstakingly reconstructed, finally opening on February 13th, 1985. In 2010, the 25th anniversary of the »New Semperoper« was celebrated. dE Dresden und seine majestätische Altstadt beheimaten Kulturgüter internationaler Ausstrahlung. Kostbare Gemälde, bedeutende Klangkörper und imposante Bauwerke aus den unterschiedlichsten Epochen ziehen jährlich viele hunderttausende Besucher in ihren Bann. Auch eine der berühmtesten Spielstätten der Welt hat in der Elbestadt ihren Sitz – die Semperoper Dresden. Beim Luftangriff auf Dresden am 13. Februar 1945 zerstört, konnte die Semperoper vierzig Jahre später, am 13. Februar 1985 feierlich wiedereröffnet werden. Sie ist ein Haus von Weltruf mit einem Ensemble von Rang und internationalen Gästen. Hier spielt die Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, 1548 als Hoforchester gegründet und damit eines der ältesten und traditionsreichsten Orchester der Welt. Bedeutende Kapellmeister haben ihre Geschichte geprägt, darunter