Musiktheater im Revier

Gelsenkirchen modern instead of Gelsenkirchen baroque

Gelsenkirchen is rarely associated with filigree or graceful things. Rather the opposite. At FC Schalke 04, "working hard" on the pitch has been elevated to the highest principle. And heavy, rustic oak cupboard walls are jokingly referred to as "Gelsenkirchen baroque". In short: Gelsenkirchen is considered old-fashioned, cumbersome and laborious. In sporting terms, the Schalker Kreisel proved the opposite long before the malocher image. In 1959, the city followed suit architecturally.

The women in glittering evening dresses and pearl necklaces and the men in evening suits and dinner jackets let their eyes wander through the foyer of the new theatre in amazement. Over the past three years, they have watched as the new theatre with its glass front on Kaiserplatz has slowly been raised. But today they are seeing the theatre from the inside for the first time. Reliefs by Yves Klein adorn the walls of the foyer. International art in the centre of Gelsenkirchen. At last, the city has a theatre that illustrates the central Gelsenkirchen characteristics of the 1950s: the city is prosperous, open-minded and modern. Accordingly, the building designed by architect Werner Ruhnau was intended to be a theatre for all the arts. But then the guests tear themselves away from the enchanting sight. The very first performance in the new Gelsenkirchen theatre began on 15 December 1959. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is shown. The last guests hastily down their champagne and hurry to the theatre.

The Stadthalle, Gelsenkirchen's old municipal theatre, was opened in the Stadtgarten in 1935. However, it did not stand there for long. The building was completely destroyed during the Second World War. In 1950, the idea of building a new theatre emerged. Thanks to the economic miracle, things were looking up again in Gelsenkirchen at this time. The Consolidation Colliery and the Gutehoffnungshütte steelworks were booming. People were proud of what they had created in the ruins of the Second World War. The theatre building was intended to symbolise this pride. Even today, it is difficult to escape the fascination of the building. The building has been a listed building since 1997. In 2018, it was honoured with the "Big Beautiful Building" award. The venue's excellent reputation has also stood the test of time. Over the years, the focus has shifted to musical productions such as symphony concerts, operas and musicals. This is why the theatre has been called Musiktheater im Revier ("Music Theatre in the Ruhr Area") since 1967. Thanks to its good reputation, the theatre still attracts people to Gelsenkirchen today.

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