A hush falls as the curtain rises in your mind’s eye. The Mainfranken Theater Würzburg stands before us. It is more than just a building. It is a place where stories come alive.
The Mainfranken Theater is the largest theater in Lower Franconia. It is a cultural hub in Würzburg’s Old Town. Here, operas, plays, musicals and dance performances captivate audiences.
But how did this theater become the Mainfranken Theater? Once it was just the Stadttheater. The city of Würzburg funded it. People came from far and wide to see performances. Soon the question arose: Should the city bear the cost alone?
Nearby towns and districts offered financial support. So the name changed. In 1999, it became Mainfrankentheater Würzburg. Then in 2004, it was renamed Mainfranken Theater to celebrate its 200th anniversary.
The Mainfranken Theater faced tough times with budget cuts and near closures. Yet it remained a vital part of Würzburg’s cultural scene.
In 2018, a new chapter began. The Mainfranken Theater started an expansion and renovation project. This included a new building called the Kleines Haus. It features a theater hall with 330 seats. There is also a ballet room and rehearsal stages.
The first step was digging a pit for the new building. Sadly some plane trees had to be cut down. The Makrokern 170 sculpture was moved.
On September 22, 2019, the Mainfranken Theater celebrated the groundbreaking for the new building. The mayor called it one of the most memorable groundbreakings in recent years.
The shell of the Kleines Haus was completed in April 2020. In summer 2020, the second phase began. This phase includes the renovation of the existing building. The Große Haus will have about 640 seats. There will also be an orchestra pit. A new orchestra rehearsal hall and costume workshop are planned.
The initial cost estimate was 65 million euros. By September 2020, the costs rose to 85 million euros. The city’s share increased too.
In May 2021, the news got worse. The Mainfranken Theater renovation was going to be even more expensive. The Große Haus would open later than expected. The total cost was now estimated at 96.5 million euros. The city’s share tripled.
Construction delays caused the increased costs. The Große Haus was expected to open in 2024. The original plan was for the 2022/23 season.
In January 2023, FMP design engineering GmbH took over the construction. Their task was to complete and update the existing plans. They also oversaw the remaining construction work.
On December 2, 2023, the Kleines Haus finally opened. It was three and a half years behind schedule. A special ceremony marked the opening of the new theater.
Until the pandemic closure in 2020, performances continued in the Große Haus. During the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons, the theater used other venues. The Theaterfabrik Blaue Halle hosted larger productions.
The Mainfranken Theater is on its way to becoming a state theater. The state government will increase funding. The goal is to make the Mainfranken Theater a leading cultural institution.
The Große Haus has 739 seats. The Kammerspiele has 92 seats. The Theaterfabrik Blaue Halle can accommodate 500 people.
Many talented people have led the Mainfranken Theater. These include Wolfgang Schaller, Hermann Schneider and Markus Trabusch.
The Mainfranken Theater has received awards. In Schrebers Garten won the Bavarian Theater Days prize in 2011.
The Mainfranken Theater is more than bricks and mortar. It is a place of passion and creativity. A place where the human spirit takes center stage.
The Mainfranken Theater: may its stories continue to inspire for generations to come.