Photo: architectural monuments, Theatre as a Symbol of Prosperity, Brandenburg

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Theatre as a Symbol of Prosperity

Architectural Monuments

The only state theater in Brandenburg with more than ahundred years of history, Das Staatstheater Cottbus, is interesting primarilyas a unique monument of architecture, although it is also highly respected bythe audience as a theater. It was not the aristocracy’s, but the lower layer’s initiativeto construct the theater. The rapid growth of the textile industry in thesecond half of the XIX century made Cottbus a flourishing city and the citizenswanted to somehow show the earned wealth to the world.

It is known thaton November 1, 1905, the city council approved the plan of building a theaterwith a budget of about 800 thousand marks and announced a competition for thebest architectural design. Architect Bernhard Sering won the contract. In 1896,he made a sensation by the construction of the Western Theater in Berlin. Seringchose the Art Nouveau style (in German - Jugendstil) for the theater inCottbus. The master managed to create an unusual synthesis of architecture,painting, sculpture and crafts. The theater opened on October 1, 1908, just 16months after the construction began. Lessing’s drama "Minna vonBarnhelm" was the first performance staged there. In 1980, the theater underwenta large-scale reconstruction and in October, 1986 it re-opened its doors to thepublic. Today, the repertoire of Das Staatstheater Cottbus includes dramaticand musical performances, ballet and classical music concerts.

Theatre as a Symbol of Prosperity

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