Germany produced Johann Sebastian Bach, born in Eisenach in 1685, who composed the Brandenburg Concertos, the Mass in B Minor, and The Well-Tempered Clavier while serving as Thomaskantor in Leipzig from 1723 until his death in 1750. Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770 and completed nine symphonies, 32 piano sonatas, and 16 string quartets before his death in Vienna in 1827, though he composed his final works including the Ninth Symphony while completely deaf. Johannes Brahms, born in Hamburg in 1833, wrote four symphonies, two piano concertos, and the German Requiem before dying in Vienna in 1897. Richard Wagner, born in Leipzig in 1813, revolutionized opera with his concept of Gesamtkunstwerk and composed the 15-hour Ring Cycle, Tristan und Isolde, and Parsifal, establishing the Bayreuth Festspielhaus in 1876 specifically for performing his works. Felix Mendelssohn, born in Hamburg in 1809, composed the Violin Concerto in E minor and the Italian Symphony, and founded the Leipzig Conservatory in 1843. Robert Schumann, born in Zwickau in 1810, wrote the Piano Concerto in A minor and four symphonies while editing the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik. Carl Maria von Weber, born in Eutin in 1786, composed Der Freischütz in 1821, establishing German Romantic opera as distinct from Italian traditions.
Georg Friedrich Händel was born in Halle in 1685, the same year as Bach, and though he spent most of his career in England, he composed Messiah, Water Music, and 42 operas before his death in London in 1759. Georg Philipp Telemann, born in Magdeburg in 1681, served as Kapellmeister in Frankfurt from 1712 to 1721 and composed over 3,000 works including 125 orchestral suites. Heinrich Schütz, born in Köstritz in 1585, studied in Venice with Giovanni Gabrieli and served as Kapellmeister in Dresden from 1617, composing the first German opera Dafne in 1627, though the score is now lost. Johann Pachelbel, born in Nuremberg in 1653, composed the Canon in D around 1680 while serving as organist in Erfurt.
Richard Strauss, born in Munich in 1864, composed Also sprach Zarathustra, Der Rosenkavalier, and Four Last Songs before dying in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1949. Paul Hindemith, born in Hanau in 1895, taught at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin until the Nazi regime banned his music in 1936, after which he emigrated, composing the Mathis der Maler symphony in 1934. Kurt Weill, born in Dessau in 1900, collaborated with Bertolt Brecht on The Threepenny Opera in 1928, which premiered at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm in Berlin and included "Mack the Knife," before emigrating to the United States in 1935. Carl Orff, born in Munich in 1895, composed Carmina Burana in 1937, which premiered at the Oper Frankfurt and became one of the most frequently performed choral works of the 20th century.
The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, founded in 1743, is among the world's oldest civic orchestras, with Mendelssohn serving as its director from 1835 to 1847. The Berlin Philharmonic, founded in 1882, gained international prominence under conductors including Wilhelm Furtwängler, who led from 1922 to 1945 and again from 1952 to 1954, and Herbert von Karajan, who served as chief conductor from 1955 to 1989. The Bavarian State Orchestra in Munich, attached to the Bavarian State Opera, traces its history to 1523 when the court chapel was established. The Dresden Staatskapelle, founded in 1548, is one of the world's oldest orchestras, performing at the Semperoper and serving as the orchestra of the Saxon State Opera.
The Bayreuth Festival, founded by Richard Wagner in 1876, presents his operas exclusively in the Festspielhaus, which Wagner designed with a covered orchestra pit to create his desired sound. The festival operates for approximately 30 days each summer, with productions typically remaining in the repertoire for five to seven years. The Salzburg Festival, co-founded by director Max Reinhardt in 1920, includes a significant German-speaking component though it occurs in Austria. The Munich Opera Festival takes place annually from late June through July at the Bavarian State Opera, presenting new productions and revivals. The Handel Festival in Halle, established in 1922, celebrates the composer's music over 10 days each June in his birthplace.
Kurt Masur served as Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra from 1970 to 1996, conducting peace prayers at the Nikolaikirche in 1989 that contributed to the peaceful revolution in East Germany. Simon Rattle served as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic from 2002 to 2018, succeeding Claudio Abbado who held the position from 1989 to 2002. Christian Thielemann became chief conductor of the Dresden Staatskapelle in 2012 and music director of the Bayreuth Festival in 2015. Christoph Eschenbach served as music director of Hamburg's NDR Symphony Orchestra from 1998 to 2004.
Anne-Sophie Mutter, born in Rheinfelden in 1963, made her professional debut at the Lucerne Festival in 1976 at age 13 and has premiered works by Wolfgang Rihm, Krzysztof Penderecki, and John Williams. Christian Tetzlaff, born in Hamburg in 1966, specializes in both Baroque and contemporary violin repertoire. Sabine Meyer, born in Crailsheim in 1959, became the first female member of the Berlin Philharmonic in 1982, serving for one year before pursuing a solo career. Anne Sofie von Otter, though Swedish, has performed extensively at German opera houses including the Bavarian State Opera.
The Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, opened in 1742, was rebuilt after World War II destruction and reopened in 1955, with a major renovation completed in 2017. The Semperoper in Dresden, designed by Gottfried Semper, opened in 1841, was destroyed by fire in 1869, rebuilt in 1878, destroyed again in 1945, and reopened in 1985 after reconstruction. The Bavarian State Opera in Munich's National Theatre, built in 1818, was reconstructed after World War II bombing and reopened in 1963 with a performance of Die Frau ohne Schatten. The Komische Oper Berlin, founded in 1947 by Walter Felsenstein, specializes in productions sung in German regardless of the opera's original language. The Hamburg State Opera, established in 1678, performs in a building opened in 1955 on the site of the previous opera house destroyed in 1943.
Bertolt Brecht, born in Augsburg in 1898, developed the concept of epic theater and Verfremdungseffekt (alienation effect) while working in Berlin from 1924 to 1933, writing The Threepenny Opera with Kurt Weill in 1928, Mother Courage and Her Children in 1939 while in exile, and The Caucasian Chalk Circle in 1944. Friedrich Schiller, born in Marbach in 1759, wrote Wilhelm Tell in 1804 and the Wallenstein trilogy from 1798 to 1799, with his works remaining central to German theater repertoire. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, born in Frankfurt in 1749, completed Faust Part One in 1808 and Part Two in 1831, the year before his death in Weimar. Frank Wedekind, born in Hanover in 1864, wrote Spring Awakening in 1891, though it was not performed until 1906 due to censorship concerns about its treatment of adolescent sexuality.
The Berliner Ensemble, founded by Bertolt Brecht and his wife Helene Weigel in 1949, performs at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm where The Threepenny Opera premiered. The Deutsches Theater in Berlin, founded in 1849, came under the direction of Max Reinhardt from 1905 to 1933, during which it became one of Europe's most influential theaters. The Thalia Theater in Hamburg, established in 1843, operates as one of Germany's leading spoken theater venues. The Schauspiel Frankfurt, part of the Frankfurt municipal theater system, performs contemporary and classical works. The Munich Residenztheater, founded in 1951, serves as the Bavarian State Theatre for spoken drama.
Max Reinhardt, born in Baden bei Wien in 1873, directed at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin from 1905 and founded the Salzburg Festival in 1920 before emigrating to the United States in 1937. Peter Stein, born in Berlin in 1937, directed notable productions including a 22-hour Oresteia in 1980 and served as director of the Schaubühne theater in Berlin from 1970 to 1985. Claus Peymann, born in Bremen in 1937, directed the Burgtheater in Vienna from 1986 to 1999 and the Berliner Ensemble from 1999 to 2017, championing the works of Thomas Bernhard and Elfriede Jelinek. Frank Castorf directed the Volksbühne in Berlin from 1992 to 2017, known for provocative productions that incorporated film, video, and non-traditional staging.
Pina Bausch, born in Solingen in 1940, founded Tanztheater Wuppertal in 1973 and created 42 full-length dance theater pieces before her death in 2009, including Café Müller in 1978 and Kontakthof in 1978. Her work combined dance, spoken word, and theatrical elements, establishing Tanztheater as a distinct genre. John Cranko, though South African-born, served as director of the Stuttgart Ballet from 1961 until his death in 1973, creating full-length narrative ballets including Onegin in 1965 and The Taming of the Shrew in 1969. William Forsythe, American-born, directed the Frankfurt Ballet from 1984 to 2004, developing a deconstructed approach to classical ballet technique in works like In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, created for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1987.
The Hamburg Ballet, under the direction of John Neumeier since 1973, performs at the Hamburg State Opera and maintains a repertoire combining Neumeier's narrative works with contemporary pieces. The Bavarian State Ballet in Munich employs approximately 54 dancers and performs both classical and contemporary repertoire. The Berlin State Ballet, formed in 2004 from the merger of the Deutsche Oper Ballet and the Staatsoper Ballet, performs at both opera houses under shared artistic direction.
The Semperoper Ballett in Dresden, reorganized after German reunification, gained international recognition under artistic director Aaron S. Watkin from 2006 to 2020. The Stuttgart Ballet employs approximately 60 dancers and maintains the tradition established by John Cranko, continuing to perform his narrative ballets alongside contemporary works. Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch continues to tour internationally after Bausch's death, maintaining her works in repertoire under the direction of former company members.
Kurt Jooss, born in Wasseralfingen in 1901, founded the Folkwang Tanzstudio in Essen in 1927 and choreographed The Green Table in 1932, an anti-war ballet that won first prize at the Archives Internationales de la Danse competition in Paris. Mary Wigman, born in Hanover in 1886, pioneered Ausdruckstanz (expressionist dance) in the 1920s, establishing a school in Dresden in 1920 that influenced German modern dance. Harald Kreutzberg, born in Reichenberg in 1902, performed Wigman's choreography and toured internationally as a soloist in the 1920s and 1930s.
The Deutsches Theater in Munich, reopened in 1896, hosts musicals, plays, and variety performances with a capacity of 1,641 seats. The Theater des Westens in Berlin, opened in 1896, presents large-scale musical productions including German-language versions of Broadway shows. The Metronom Theater in Oberhausen, opened in 1997, specializes in musical theater with a capacity of 1,678 seats. Stage Entertainment operates multiple theaters in Germany, including the Stage Theater am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin and the Stage Apollo Theater in Stuttgart, presenting productions including Der König der Löwen (The Lion King), which opened in Hamburg in 2001 and moved to Stuttgart in 2007.
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, born in Jarotschin in 1915, sang at the Vienna State Opera and performed lieder recitals, particularly known for her interpretations of Richard Strauss and Hugo Wolf, recording extensively for EMI until her retirement in 1979. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, born in Berlin in 1925, recorded over 400 lieder albums and performed in operas by Mozart, Verdi, and Wagner until his retirement from opera in 1978 and from the concert stage in 1992. Fritz Wunderlich, born in Kusel in 1930, sang Mozart tenor roles at the Bavarian State Opera and recorded extensively before his death in 1966 at age 35. Peter Schreier, born in Meissen in 1935, performed as both tenor and conductor, particularly known for his interpretations of Bach's Evangelist in the Passions and Mozart's Tamino.
Jonas Kaufmann, born in Munich in 1969, performs leading tenor roles including Don José in Carmen and the title role in Parsifal at major opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, and Bavarian State Opera. Anja Harteros, born in Bergneustadt in 1972, sings soprano roles including Desdemona in Otello and Elisabeth in Don Carlos, frequently performing at the Bavarian State Opera. René Pape, born in Dresden in 1964, performs bass roles including Sarastro in The Magic Flute and King Marke in Tristan und Isolde at the Metropolitan Opera and Bayreuth Festival. Diana Damrau, born in Günzburg in 1971, sings coloratura soprano roles including the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute and Violetta in La traviata.
The Deutsche Oper Berlin, opened in 1912 as the Deutsches Opernhaus, was rebuilt after World War II destruction and reopened in 1961 with a performance of Don Giovanni, operating with 1,859 seats. The Frankfurt Opera, performing in the Oper Frankfurt building rebuilt in 1981, premiered Hans Werner Henze's We Come to the River in 1976 and maintains a repertoire combining standard works with contemporary opera. The Leipzig Opera, established in 1693, performs in the Opernhaus Leipzig rebuilt in 1960 after wartime destruction. The Nuremberg State Theatre, operating since 1905, presents opera, ballet, and drama in a building reconstructed after 1945.
Hans Werner Henze, born in Gütersloh in 1926, composed operas including Boulevard Solitude in 1952 and The Bassarids in 1966, often working with librettist Ingeborg Bachmann and premiered works at festivals including Schwetzingen and Munich Opera Festival before his death in 2012. Karlheinz Stockhausen, born in Mödrath in 1928, composed electronic works at the WDR electronic music studio in Cologne starting in 1953, creating Gesang der Jünglinge in 1956 and the opera cycle Licht over 27 years from 1977 to 2003. Wolfgang Rihm, born in Karlsruhe in 1952, has composed over 400 works including 13 string quartets and three full-length operas, teaching composition at the Karlsruhe Musikhochschule since 1985. Aribert Reimann, born in Berlin in 1936, composed the opera Lear for Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in 1978, which premiered at the Bavarian State Opera.