What will theaters look like in the future? What form can these central places of collective cultural encounters take and what will opera houses and theaters have to offer as places of public life in the future? These questions were posed in 2018 by the exhibition "Big Opera - lots of theater?" Since then, intensive, often controversial discussions have continued in Frankfurt and other cities about the renovation or new construction of these cultural buildings of great importance to urban society. "Ganz große Oper - viel mehr Theater?" picks up the thread again, compares developments in different cities and also presents two current examples of best practice. The exhibition also takes a look at the location options for opera and theater in Frankfurt am Main.

Following the destruction of the Second World War, almost all of the stage buildings in Germany are (partially) new buildings from the 1950s/60s. Despite regular building maintenance, the facades of the 60 to 70-year-old buildings are far from today's energy standards. But it is not just the building fabric that is outdated. The same applies to the complex stage machinery, which makes productions on several levels with building-high backdrops and complex scene changes possible in the first place. Finally, the third factor is the building services with electricity distribution, fire protection and, above all, ventilation and air conditioning: without them, a hall with several hundred guests cannot be used. If spare parts or the refrigerant for the systems are no longer available, performances are no longer possible. However, it is not only the building and stage technology aspects of the old houses that cause problems. It is also the condition of the workplaces in the houses - whether stage workshops or recording and rehearsal rooms for the musicians - which no longer meet today's guidelines. Last but not least, user expectations have also changed: These include not only the classic evening performance program, but also small formats for studio stages, events during the day and more offerings for children and young people.

In summer 2017, Frankfurt presented a comprehensive inventory and assessment with a feasibility study on the condition of the municipal theatres on Willy-Brandt-Platz. Since then, the various options and alternatives - a complete refurbishment with partial new builds or new construction, a double complex or individual buildings - and, last but not least, alternative locations in the city have been examined and discussed. The city councillors made a number of directional decisions: in January 2020, the decision to build a new building instead of renovating the stages and in December 2023, the decision to locate the opera house on Willy-Brandt-Platz. In September 2024, it was decided to purchase a plot of land on Gutleutstraße for an interim campus. A decision is currently pending as to whether a plot of land belonging to Frankfurter Sparkasse and Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen in Neue Mainzer Straße should be leased for 199 years as a theater location.

Because Frankfurt is by no means alone in the discussion about refurbishment or new-build alternatives, the DAM not only presented the feasibility study for Frankfurt's double venue back in 2018 in the exhibition "Große Oper - viel Theater?", but also provided an overview of notable new-builds or refurbishments of stage buildings in Europe in recent years. The current exhibition "Ganz große Oper - viel mehr Theater?" focuses on the discussion since 2018 and the current alternative locations for Frankfurt's stages. This time, paradigmatic plans are also on display. The development process for some projects has been updated, such as the report on the refurbishment of the stages in Cologne.

Three highly exciting current plans have been newly included in the exhibition: The renovation of the Nationaltheater (with opera and drama) in Mannheim, the discussion about the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf and the project for a workshop center on and in the Mönchsberg for the stage conglomerate of the Salzburg Festival. The opera house in Copenhagen, on the other hand, was supplemented by an underground parking garage and, above all, an extraordinary small city park on top. In addition, two "best practice" examples were added to the project selection. Both stage constructions remained on time and within budget. The "Isarphilharmonie Gasteig HP8" (gmp - Architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners) is a fine example of an interim building that does much more than just provide a temporary venue for the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert hall was built as an extension to a former transformer hall, which serves as a city library and exhibition hall during the day and becomes the hall foyer in the evening.

The Isarphilharmonie has been just as enthusiastically received by Munich audiences as the new building for the Volkstheater München, designed by LRO Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei. Because the theater's previous home was rented, the move had to take place after the end of the season during the theater vacations. It worked, and the budget was also adhered to. The city of Munich took the unusual route of a bidding process. Construction companies were able to apply together with an architectural firm. The theater provided a 1,000-page specification sheet. Last but not least, the building, which was completed in time for the 2021/22 season, is also architecturally remarkable.

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