Hanover State Opera (German: Staatsoper Hannover) is a German opera company based in Hanover, the state capital of Lower Saxony. The company is resident in the Hanover Opera House (Opernhaus Hannover), and is part of a publicly-funded umbrella performing arts organisation called Hanover State Theatre of Lower Saxony (Niedersächsisches Staatstheater Hannover), or simply Hanover State Theatre (Staatstheater Hannover).
Hanover State Theatre comprises the following divisions that put on operas, stage productions, and concert programs, in addition to maintaining a theatre museum, with seasons running from September through to June.
Contents
Hanover Opera House
Hanover State Opera is resident in the Hanover Opera House, built in classical style between 1845 and 1852 based on a plan by Georg Ludwig Friedrich Laves. The building was rebuilt from 1948 after being badly damaged by the aerial bombings of Hanover during World War II. In 1985, the acoustics were improved, and between 1996 and 1998, the stage facilities were renovated.
The International Choreographic Competition Hannover has taken place at Hanover Opera House since the early 1980s, and is the longest-running choreography competition in the world. It is organised by the Ballet Association of Hanover (Ballett Gesellschaft Hannover).
Administration
The intendant of the opera company is Bodo Busse.
The longest-serving general music director (GMD) of the opera company was George Alexander Albrecht, from 1965 until 1993. The first woman, and first American, to hold the post of general music director was Karen Kamensek, from 2011 until 2014. The current GMD of the opera company is Stephan Zilias, named to the post in February 2020 following his debut with the opera company in the 2019–2020 season. In April 2024 the company announced the extension of Zilias' contract as GMD through the 2025–2026 season.
General music directors
1924–1943: Rudolf Krasselt
1945–1949: Franz Konwitschny
1949–1960: Johannes Schüler
1961–1965: Günter Wich
1965–1993: George Alexander Albrecht
1993–1996: Christof Perick
1996–2000: Andreas Delfs
2000–2001: Hans Urbanek
2001–2006: Lü Shao-chia
2006–2011: Wolfgang Bozic
2011–2016: Karen Kamensek
2016–2019: Ivan Repušić
2020–2026: Stephan Zilias
2026–present: Francesco Angelico
Premieres
1838: Der Bäbu by Heinrich Marschner (performance took place in the old Schlossopernhaus)
1852: Austin by Marschner
1921: Die Prinzessin Girnara by Egon Wellesz
1931: Prinzessin Brambilla by Walter Braunfels
1943: Der Kuckuck von Theben by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari
1952: Boulevard Solitude by Hans Werner Henze
1970: Der Aufsichtsrat by Diether de la Motte
1977: Faust und Yorick by Wolfgang Rihm
1980: Ein Abenteuer auf dem Friedhof by Alfred Koerppen
1992: Draußen vor der Tür by Xaver Paul Thoma
2000: Gilgamesh by Volker David Kirchner
2005: iOPAL by Hans-Joachim Hespos
2017: Lot by Giorgio Battistelli
Notable people
Marco Goecke