Drottningholm Court Theatre - Forgotten and Rediscovered

The Drottningholm Court Theatre, located just outside Stockholm, Sweden, is a remarkable 18th-century theatre. The first version of the theatre, built in 1754 as part of the Drottningholm Palace complex, burned down in 1762. It was rebuilt in 1764-1766, designed by Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz. The little theatre is renowned for valuable original features and It is a prime example of the Rococo style. It became very popular during King Gustav III´s regency 1777-1792. During the summer, plays and mainly opera were performed, sometimes with the king himself as an active participant on stage. After he was murdered (shot in the Stockholm Opera House), the court theatre was used less and became forgotten after the last performance 1858. It fell into a Sleeping Beauty slumber for many decades. But it was rediscovered in 1921, when a castle employee was searching for a certain painting, and became carefully restored to its former glory. Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaros was the first performance in 1922, when the reopening was celebrated. Since the building had not been used at all and was locked, all original furnitures, all decoration and even the complicated stage technique was preserved and totally unchanged and can still be seen and used today. Even the same stage settings used in the 18th century are preserved and used, which gives the performances a unique historical authenticity. Drottningholms Slottsteater remains one of the best-preserved theatres from the period and is still used for performances today. It can even be visited during the summer with a guided tour.