The Theatre Meißen celebrates its 175th birthday on 13 November 2026. The evening’s programme includes an anniversary variety show featuring the Zwinger-Trio . The three Saxon stage performers Tom Pauls, Jürgen Haase and Peter Kube will appear on the theatre’s main stage. The date marks the anniversary of its opening: performances began at the then Gewandhaus on 13 November 1851.
The anniversary extends beyond the birthday evening. For 17 November 2026, the theatre has announced a concert entitled “Voices of Meißen” with the Dresden Big Band, Micha Winkler and guests. A gala concert by the Elbland Philharmonie Sachsenfollows on 21 November. According to the theatre, its programme takes a musical look at the year it opened, ranging from works by Albert Lortzing to compositions by Johann Strauss the Younger.
The Meißen City Museum explores the history of the theatre. An anniversary exhibition there forms part of a look back at local cultural history. According to the programme, a dramatic collage by SENTHA Senior Theatre will be staged in the exhibition on 15 November. It explores connections with the city, adding a contemporary perspective to the historical exhibits.
According to the city, the theatre is its oldest cultural institution. The way it operates has changed since it was founded: until 1963, it had its own company and municipal orchestra. Today it works without a permanent company. Its programme features a range of formats and guest events, including concerts, musical theatre and events for children.
For a theatre without its own company, the choice of guest performers and partners is particularly important. The anniversary programme illustrates this approach, bringing together the Zwinger-Trio, an orchestral concert and a performance by the Dresden Big Band. Rather than relying on a single formal ceremony, the theatre is spreading the celebrations across several events with different musical and theatrical focuses.
The theatre also performs in public spaces, beyond its building. According to Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk, these events include the street theatre festival Gassenzauber and the “Heißer Sommer” series. Events like these can reach people who would not make a special trip to see a performance in the theatre. At the same time, Dresden, with its wider cultural offering, is an obvious point of comparison for the Meißen theatre.
Managing director Ann-Kristin Böhme told Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk that engaging with the wider community is one of the theatre’s aims. According to the report, the team organises up to 150 events at the theatre and around 70 in public spaces each year; audience capacity is around 80 per cent. These figures relate to the theatre’s regular operations, not just the anniversary events. The celebrations show how the theatre is connecting its long history with this wide-ranging programme.
Editor: Celestina Fuentes (Article created with AI assistance).