Opernhaus Düsseldorf

The house

Düsseldorf’s opera house on Heinrich-Heine-Allee is located at the edge of the historic city centre, directly between the Hofgarten and Königsallee, and is within walking distance of the promenade on the bank of the Rhine.

The new City Theatre opened in 1875 in a design by the architect Ernst Giese. The building, which recreated the style of the Italian Renaissance with its round frontage and 1,260 seats, bore a resemblance to other representative theatre buildings such as the Semperoper in Dresden.
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Two air raids in 1943 left the theatre severely damaged. After the war, a period of temporary arrangements followed until the opera house was rebuilt in its present form in the mid-1950s. Extensive rebuilding work based on plans drawn up by the architects Julius Schulte Frohlinde, Paul Bonatz and Ernst Huhn were intended to correct the hasty repairs of the war years and redefine the opera house’s profile. The front of the building with its simple façade, the elegantly curved stairs of the foyer and numerous stylistic elements from the 1950s now enjoy protected monument status.

Between 2006 and 2007, the City of Düsseldorf commissioned extensive renovations to the opera house. The building was visibly extended by a rehearsal studio for the ballet and orchestra that is flooded with light. This opens onto the Hofgarten and Königsallee with a ten-metre wide and eight-metre high glass façade. The auditorium now has capacity for a maximum of 1,296 visitors. Downstairs in the basement lies the costume store, which holds some 50,000 different costumes – a major attraction on every guided tour of the opera house.

Things to know for your visit

How to get here
Heinrich-Heine-Allee 16a
40213 Düsseldorf


By bus and rail
Get off at “Heinrich-Heine-Allee” (Altstadt)
The opera house is just three stops away from Düsseldorf main station (Hauptbahnhof) on the U-Bahn.

Combination bus and rail ticket
Our tickets are also valid as permits for travel (this does not apply to Print@home tickets) to and from the theatre on the day of the performance using the entire VRR network – for more details: www.vrr.de

By car
Follow the signs for the city centre (Zentrum) and parking directions towards the historic centre (Altstadt).

Parking

Please note: At present - probably until 1 March 2024 - no theatre tariff is possible in the Grabbeplatz 5 multi-storey car park (K20/Kunstsammlung).

The opera tunnel from the car park at K.20/ Grabbeplatz 5 that provides direct, covered access to the opera house foyer is open from 60 minutes before the start of the performance and again after the curtain call. Please note that, sadly, this underground passageway is not accessible to the disabled – the route includes stairs. The entrance to the opera tunnel can be found on car park level 4 between parking places 4.106 and 4.108.

The car park at Kunsthalle Grabbeplatz 4 offers a theatre rate of € 5.00. For this, the parking ticket must be discounted at the small machine in the cloakroom and paid for in the Kunsthalle car park. Please note the opening hours of the multi-storey car park; these are signposted on site or can be viewed online here.
Disabled Access
The Düsseldorf Opera House is a historic building with limited accessibility. Since the inclusion of all visitors is close to our hearts, we strive to create the best possible access for everyone.

Our staff in the Opera Shop and the service personnel in the Opera House will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding access to our houses.

We would be delighted if you could provide us with valuable advice on what we can improve through your experiences:
Discounts
Severely disabled persons with a GdB 70 or higher and an accompanying person (if letter B is noted on the disabled person's ID card) receive a reduction of about 50 % on the one-way ticket price.

Parking spaces for people with disabilities
Public parking spaces for people with disabilities are located in Ludwig-Zimmermann-Straße directly next to the Opera House.

Access for visitors with limited mobility
The Opera House is accessible without steps.

The elevator (dimensions: 0.8 x 1.4 meters) on the right side of the building takes you to all floors. Please note that there is only one elevator, and plan enough time if you depend on its use.

All stairs in the foyer have handrails.

Due to historic structural conditions, the auditorium has steps in both the stalls and tiers that must be negotiated without handrails. The steps in the stalls are wide and low, while the slope in the tiers is higher (1st tier 8%, 2nd tier 9.5%, 3rd tier 11%).

Unfortunately, due to fire regulations, walkers are not allowed in the auditorium. Our staff will be happy to take care of them in front of the auditorium doors, help you to your seat if you wish, and keep your walker ready for you during the intermission or after the performance.

Toilets for the disabled
A handicapped accessible toilet is located on the lowest level in the checkroom foyer.

Seats for wheelchair users and escorts
There are two wheelchair seats on the left and right side of row 14 in the stalls. To ensure that these seats are not accidentally booked by non-wheelchair users, they cannot be booked online, but only by telephone or directly at the theater box office.

Recommended seating for visitors with limited mobility
All seats at the edge of the stalls are easily accessible for visitors with limited mobility and are therefore recommended for booking.

For hearing impaired visitors
The Düsseldorf Opera House has an inductive hearing system in the stalls and in the second tier, which helps wearers of hearing aids with T-coils or cochlear implants to enjoy an improved sound experience. You can use this if you set your hearing aid to "T" (telephone).

Companion Dogs
Companion dogs are allowed by appointment. In order to provide you with suitable seats, please book by phone or directly at the opera store and discuss your request with our staff*.

Food & drink during the intermission
You will find our catering counters in the stalls and 1st tier foyer. They are accessible without thresholds via the elevator.
Catering
At Opernhaus Düsseldorf you can purchase drinks and small snacks before the performance and during the interval.

Pre-orders for the interval
Would you like to round off your visit with a cool glass of wine or a fine antipasti plate? Our caterer "Schillings" will be happy to take your reservation one hour before the performance at a counter in the ranking foyer. If you order food in advance, a fixed table will also be reserved for you during the interval, subject to availability. Your drinks and food will then be ready for you in good time so that you can enjoy the interval without any waiting time.

Online booking is also possible until 12 noon on the day of the performance: order food and drinks conveniently online from home: www.bernstein-feinkost.de

The Schillings team looks forward to your visit!

Our catering partner at the Düsseldorf Opera House:
Schillings – Bernstein-Feinkost GmbH & Co. KG
New here or haven't been for a long time?
It's not every day that you go to the opera. So you might ask yourself a question or two before you go – here are a few answers from us.
Seating Plan
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