Everything you need to know about your visit
Are you new here?
A visit to the opera, ballet or concert is a very special experience. Because everyone – the audience and the artists onstage – want to enjoy the performance, we have collected some important guidelines.
Accessibility
Due to regulations regarding the protection of historical buildings, only the stalls (Parkett) of the opera house are accessible barrier-free. There, you can reach both the barrier-free boxes (Logen) and a barrier-free lavatory. Ballhof Eins is accessible via a level entrance and Ballhof Zwei has a lift. You can find detailed information in the menu item Accessibility.
GVH-Ticket
Your theatre ticket is valid as a ticket for the entire GVH-region (2nd class) from 3 hours before the performance until 05:00h of the following day. Once you have started your journey, the ticket is non-transferrable. It is not permitted to sell this ticket to third parties or to give it away. Therefore, your online ticket is only valid if the first and family names of all visitors are entered on the ticket during the booking process.
Parking
In the underground parking garage at Opernplatz, opera visitors can make use of a special rate of 4 € from union boden GmbH. You can pay in the period from 75 minutes before the performance to 23:59h, and you can exit the garage until 08:00h on the following day. Please pay this special rate at the pay machine (Parkdeck 1) near the direct passage between the garage and the opera house.
Cloakroom
At the opera house, our cloakroom staff will be happy to take your jackets and coats free of charge. At Ballhaus Eins, cloakroom lockers (1 € coins) are at your disposal; our service staff can provide you with change.
Catering
Before the beginning of the performance, our caterers vomfeinsten and their service staff are happy to take your orders for a private interval table with drinks and snacks.
You can pay with no rush before the performance and don’t have to queue during the interval. Contact: gastronomie@staatstheater-hannover.de
Programmes
You can purchase the programmes for our productions either when you buy your tickets at the box offices at the opera house or from our front of house-staff before the performance. They are also available for download online.
In our webshop, programmes can be ordered for postal shipping for a fee.
Surtitles
We provide German surtitles for all opera performances in other languages than German and for many performances in German, too. For information on visibility of the surtitles, please ask our box office staff when you purchase your tickets or see the seating plans in our webshop.
Taking Photographs
Taking photographs or filming during performances is not allowed. But please feel free to tag photos that you take before or after our performances in our venues!
@staatsoperhannover
Late Admission
Once the performance has begun, late admission is only possible during the intervals. Until then, you can follow the events on stage via a monitor in the foyer.
Booster Cushions
To elevate your seat, we provide booster cushions at the information point.
Before and After
You can take a real look behind the scenes of an opera production in our Kostprobe, an open rehearsal with a real working situation and an authentic rehearsal atmosphere! The directing team, musical directors and dramaturgs will introduce visitors to the creative process of the production. Following this, there will be an opportunity to take a first glance at the production that is being developed – either in a working rehearsal with solo singers and piano, a technical rehearsal with the set and lighting or an orchestra rehearsal on stage that also features the singers. In the ballet, visitors will be allowed to look over dancers’ and ballet masters’ shoulders (or rather, to watch their feet) during the final rehearsal phase of Premierenfieber, opening night fever. Directly before the performances, our introductions to productions, choreographies and concerts will equip you with everything you need to know about the work and this particular staging.
Interaction
The Hanover State Opera is an institution open to all people, in which respectful, appreciative and tolerant interaction with each other – with our guests as well as among our employees – is a matter of course. Discrimination and harassment in any form are not welcome at the Opera House. If you experience or observe this, please contact our employees or the security staff.
Feedback
We see ourselves as a learning institution! If you have any remarks or suggestions for improvement regarding your visit to the Opera House, or if you would simply like to let us know what you thought of an event, please write to us. Contact: kommunikation@staatstheater-hannover.de
Catering
The canteen at Schauspielspielhaus welcomes you with a wide variety of food and drinks and is open to the public for lunch from Mo-Fr from 9.00 to 15.00h. You can reach the canteen via the Theaterhof (entrance Cumberlandsche). We are looking forward to your visit!
We can once again offer you our regular catering options in the foyer of Schauspielhaus, including drinks and snacks. Our catering staff is happy to take your orders before the beginning of the performance. You can pay before the performance with no rush and will not have to stand in line during the interval. If you would like to pre-order a table for the interval, please place your order by e-mail at gastronomie@staatstheater-hannover.de.
Please contact us if you have any questions at gastronomie@staatstheater-hannover.de
Cumberlandsche Bar
Cool, authentic, stylish: Cumberlandsche Bar. Regular opening times are Thursdays to Saturdays from 19:00h. Due to the current pandemic situation, however, the bar will have to remain closed until further notice. Further information can be found here:
cumberlandsche.de
facebook.com/cumberlandsche
instagram.com/cumberlandsche
Cloakrooms
At Schauspielhaus and Ballhaus Eins, cloakroom lockers are at your disposal (1 € coins); our service staff can provide you with change.
Programme Brochures
Programme brochures for our productions can be downloaded as PDF-files from the respective page on our website free of charge. Or you can purchase a printed version at our box offices, in our webshop or from our front-of-house staff.
Accessibility
There is barrier-free access at Schauspielhaus, Cumberlandsche Bühne and Ballhof Eins and Ballhof Zwei. Lifts are provided where necessary. There is an automatic door at Schauspielhaus. Unfortunately, there is no barrier-free access to Cumberlandsche Galerie. Barrier-free lavatories are located at Schauspielhaus as well as Ballhof Eins and Ballhof Zwei. Our ticket-service staff will be happy to advise you on your choice of seating when you purchase your ticket. Our front-of-house staff will assist you with stowing walking aids like rollators during the performance.
Hearing Enhancement
There is a hearing enhancement system at your disposal at Schauspielhaus. You can collect a receiver with headphones, inductive loop or adapters for cochlea implants from our front-of-house staff free of charge before the performance (the number of devices is limited).
Your Event at Schauspielhaus
Whether you are celebrating your company’s anniversary, a Christmas party or a New Year’s reception – inviting your staff, business partners or important clients to the theatre is always a good idea. How about a champagne reception, a flying buffet or an exclusive backstage tour? We are happy to advise you and compose a tailor-made programme in combination with your visit to a performance. Contact: arrangements@staatstheater-hannover.de