Drottningholms Slottsteater

Drottningholm Slottsteater (Drottningholm Palace Theatre) is filled with royal history. It was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1991 as an exquisite example of 18th century European royal architecture and interior decoration. It was completed in 1776 for Queen Lovisa Ulrika, but it was her son King Gustav III who brought it to life. His own life came to an abrupt end when he was murdered by political enemies in 1792, in the same theatre where he created the foundation for the Swedish dramatic arts. The event shook the rest of Europe and inspired Giuseppe Verdi to write Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball) in 1859. The theatre was then closed until it was rediscovered in authentic period condition by literary historian Agne Beijer in 1921. World-renowned Swedish musicians have made their debut on this stage. The complex stage set was painstakingly copied for Ingmar Bergman's rendition of Mozart's opera The Magic Flute. The film depicted the beauty and complexity of the stage for the world to see. A careful restoration has ensured that Drottningholms Slottsteater looks like it did 300 years ago. Visitors are invited to take a tour to see the ornate decorations inside the theatre, visit the backstage area, find out about history that surrounds the building, and learn about the set, one of the most advanced in Europe for that period and still impressive today. The 30-minute tour is available in Swedish, English, German, and French. It is followed by a short movie that details the theatre's 18th century stage mechanics, world-renowned for their intricate design.