Altstadt-Lehel — Mozart's Lost Operas

Your investigation in Munich begins at the Nationaltheater, built in 1818 by Karl von Fischer. It is here, on Max-Joseph-Platz, that the 60-meter-wide neoclassical facade, adorned with statues of Max von Weber and Mozart, will remind you of the importance of music in the city. On October 2, 1818, Ferdinand Hérold's opera 'Raimund' premiered there, marking the beginning of a long lyrical tradition that made it the seat of the Bayerische Staatsoper from 1825. Imagine the court intrigues and musical evenings that took place there, as you search for the first clues of Mozart's presence.

Not far, the Cuvilliés-Theater, built between 1751 and 1753 by François de Cuvilliés the Elder, will be your next stop. This rococo gem, with its 480 seats and intimate dimensions of 20x15 meters, hosted the Munich premiere of 'Idomeneo' directed by Mozart himself in 1781. Despite its destruction in 1944 and faithful reconstruction in 1958, the stucco decorations and frescoes still bear witness to its past grandeur. It is in this atmosphere that you will discover how royal commissions influenced musical creation and where precious fragments of scores might be hidden.

The route then leads you to the Theatinerkirche St. Kajetan, an imposing baroque church built between 1663 and 1690 by Agostino Barelli and Théodore Schlindwein. Commissioned by Henriette Adelaide of Savoy in gratitude for the birth of the Elector Prince, its 70-meter-long interior and 20-meter-diameter dome, an architectural twin of Dresden, offer a striking contrast to the rococo lightness of the Cuvilliés-Theater. The typical yellow facade of Bavarian churches stands tall, and although a garrison church since 1800, it was an influential place for artists of the era. Here you will look for symbols or inscriptions related to the princely patronage that surrounded Mozart.

Your quest continues to the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, founded in 1558 by Duke Albrecht V and opened to the public in 1806. The current building, completed in 1843 by Karl Friedrich von Ziegler, stretches 120 meters and houses 35 million items, including Mozart's manuscripts acquired in 1846. The historic reading room, with its frescoes by Hermann Anschütz dating from 1832, is a place where past and knowledge converge. This is where you will have to decipher bibliographical puzzles to locate the last traces of the composer's lost works, a true historical monument of Bavaria.

Finally, the Alter Hof, former center of Bavarian ducal power from 1255 and residence until 1479, will conclude your exploration of Munich's heritage. This Gothic-Renaissance complex, with its Zwingerhof courtyard and 1592 fountain, was the site of the Bavarian Diet of 1505. Restored after WWII destruction, it now houses the Bavarian State Office. As a royal archivist, you will understand the importance of this place for the history of Munich and Bavaria, and how decisions made here may have influenced the destiny of artists like Mozart. Your thematic circuit in Munich's Altstadt will have offered you an interactive visit and a complete immersion in the history of the world city with heart.