Grillo-Theater [Essen]
Grillo-Theater
Theatre building in Essen, Germany
theatergebouw of -zaal in Duitsland ontworpen door Heinrich Seeling
Descriptive text, II. p 31 ; Block plan, II. p. 31; General view, II. p. 31 ; Front elevation, II. PI. 63 ; Plan area, II. PI. 63 ; Plan 1st tier, II. PI. 64; Plan 2nd tier, II. PI. 64; Side elevation, II. PI. 65 ; Longitudinal section, II. PI. 65 ; Plan area, III. p. 27; Plan and section of orchestra, III. p. 64; III. p. 66; Staircase plans at entrance and 1st tier level, III. p. 84; Skeleton plan of auditorium, III. PI. opp. p. 62 ; Stage: Descriptive text, III. S. p. 79 ; Longitudinal section, III. S. p. 81 ; Plan of stage floor, III. S. p. 81 ; Cost and capacity, III. p. 17.
Built 1890-1892 as Stadttheater by Heinrich Seeling. Opened 16 Sep 1892 with Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's Minna von Barnhelm. 750 seats. Severely damaged by bombs in 1944, with the auditorium and entrance tract completely destroyed. 1949-1950 rebuilding by Johannes Borsch and Wilhelm Seidensticker to new designs, using the stagehouse part of the former theatre, but without reconstructing the destroyed cupola roof. Re-opened 19 Dec 1950 with Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. 1990 interior rebuilding by Werner Ruhnau (400 seats). Re-opened Sep 1990 with Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Renamed in honour of the German industrialist Friedrich Grillo (1825-1888) who had donated most of the funds for the original building. Used for drama performances by the resident municipal theatre company.