“What does ‘small’ really mean?” That’s the question visitors to Dresden’s Kleines Haus might ask themselves. This is a key part of the Staatsschauspiel Dresden. The Kleines Haus impresses with a citizen stage that is a nationwide role model.
Despite its name the Kleines Haus is not small in quality. The ensemble’s quality is high. So are the stage designs and lighting technology. One can expect that from the Staatsschauspiel.
The Kleines Haus is the younger sibling of the Schauspielhaus. The building’s history goes back to the 17th century. But the theater only started here after the Second World War.
Before the theater the Kleines Haus was part of a fortress. Later it was a villa. Until recently it housed a church. It took 30 years for the theater to become fully functional.
Since 2005 the Kleines Haus has a studio stage. There is also a workshop stage behind the Iron Curtain. The Kleines Haus mainly shows contemporary and international drama. The citizen stage’s theater work is important.
The Staatsschauspiel Dresden is Saxony’s largest spoken theater. It performs in two venues. The Kleines Haus is near Albertplatz in Dresden’s Neustadt. It has four venues. These seat 100 to 400 people. The “citizen stage” is also here.
Each year the Staatsschauspiel Dresden produces 25 premieres. It has a large repertoire. With over 850 performances it reaches 250000 visitors annually. It is one of Germany’s most popular theaters. Invitations to festivals and awards show its national recognition. Besides the great classics the program includes contemporary drama. It also includes premieres festivals and guest performances.
The Kleines Haus is located at Glacisstrasse 28. It is part of an international theatre festival. It was the centre of a special artistic event. Eunice Martins and Ibrahim Quraishi made a powerful statement here. They spoke against exclusion hatred and prejudice. They presented their intercultural cantata Walls Are Tumbling Down.
Inspired by Jericho’s fall shofar percussion and electronics merge. Singing and rebellious sounds create an impressive message. This is a passionate appeal for solidarity resistance and change.
This interreligious composition responds to social grievances. The cantata combines Jewish Arabic and African musical traditions. It addresses discrimination migration and solidarity.
Since June 2024 Martins and Quraishi have been working on this. They assembled an ensemble of over 20 musicians. They composed the cantata in a participatory process. Most of the ensemble are artists living in Dresden. Jewish Muslim Arabic Afro-German and Saxon voices unite. Narratives are in Hebrew Arabic Yiddish and German. This work sends a clear signal against anti-Semitism Islamophobia and racism.
Rehearsals took place in symbolic locations. These locations reflect challenges faced by marginalized groups in Germany. The dress rehearsal was part of the Staatsschauspiel Dresden’s Monday Café. That is a transcultural meeting place. Migration and culture can be experienced as living processes there. The cantata becomes a dialogue about social cohesion. It is a celebration of what unites people.
So as you stand before the Kleines Haus remember its history. It’s a place of transformation. It went from fortress to church to innovative theater. It’s a place that champions diversity and artistic expression.