Cuvilliés Theatre

The Cuvillies Theatre, or Old Residence Theatre, in Munich is considered Germany's foremost Rococo theatre. It was built between 1751 and 1755 by Francois de Cuvillies, one of the Wittelsbach court architects: four gilded tiers upholstered in deep red, lavish carvings, a stage on which Mozart's Idomeneo received its 1781 premiere. During the Second World War the entire interior was carefully dismantled and stored in Ammergau cellars, which is why the original decoration survived the bombing of the Residence. In 1958 the theatre reopened at a new location within the Residence complex. Today the Bavarian State Opera and State Theatre still play here, primarily Baroque opera and Mozart works; the 526 acoustically excellent seats are narrow, gilded and steeped in 270 years of theatre history.