Staatsoper Unter den Linden

Staatsoper Unter den Linden review

The Staatsoper was founded as Prussia's Royal Court Opera for Frederick the Great in 1742, and designed along the lines of a Greek temple. Although the present building dates from 1955, the façade faithfully copies that of Knobelsdorff's original, twice destroyed in World War II. The elegant interior gives an immediate sense of the house's past glory, with huge chandeliers and elaborate wall paintings. Chamber music is performed in the small, ornate Apollo Saal, which is housed within the main building and also used for occasional club nights and electronica performances. Unsold tickets are available for €10 half an hour before the performance.