Latvian National opera

Latvian National opera

      The building of Latvian National opera has been built as the first German theatre. It was built on the embankment of the city channel, on the place, where city fortifications used to be. The construction works continued form 1860 until 1863. The author of the project is Ludvig Bonstedt. In the June of 1882 the inner rooms of the theatre have burnt. The renovation works have started in 1885 and finished in 1887. During the renovation of the theatre the biggest (that time) electro station was built near it. It was connected with the boiler-house of the central heating. The chimney of this boiler-house survived until today, as a deco element. 

      During the World War I, the theatre has been closed and begun its activity as a German city theatre only in 1917. From the 1919 Latvian opera owned it, and at the end of the year the theatre is given a new name - Latvian National opera. During the soviet times form 1994 the opera is known as The Theatre of opera and ballet of LSSR. In the year 1990 the theatre is again know as Latvian national Opera.