Bernhard-Theater

Bernhard-Theater is a German-language revue and cabaret stage in central Zürich, at Sechseläutenplatz 1. It sits within the Opernhaus Zürich building complex, close to the lake, and has long been one of the best-known venues for light stage entertainment in German-speaking Switzerland.

What is the Bernhard-Theater?

It is a stage where cabaret, revues, chanson evenings, musicals and travesty shows are put on. The auditorium is fairly intimate, seating about 400, so the audience sits close to the performers. Shows are usually in Swiss German or standard German, so it is worth checking the language of a specific production before booking.

The Restaurant Belcanto operates in the same complex, which makes it easy to combine dinner with an evening at the theatre.

How did the theatre begin?

The theatre was founded in 1941 by Rudolf Bernhard, a Swiss actor and comedian from Basel, and it carries his name. The first performance, the cabaret revue "Härzlig willkomme", took place in late December 1941 (sources give either 19 or 20 December). It started out in the former Grand Café Esplanade, a building dating from 1925.

By 1962, the year of the founder's death, nearly 7,000 performances had been staged here, and the theatre had helped launch the careers of many Swiss performers. After his death, the brothers Eynar and Vincent Grabowsky took over management and widened the programme to include cabaret, chanson evenings, musicals and travesty shows.

A move and a new building

In 1981 the old Esplanade building had to make way for an extension of the opera house. For three years the theatre worked from a temporary home at Kaufleuten. The new building, designed by Claude Paillard, opened on 27 December 1984. It is the one that still stands on Sechseläutenplatz today.

Harder years and the present

When Eynar Grabowsky died in 1995, the company was left heavily in debt because of inadequate subsidies, and bankruptcy proceedings followed in 1999. Since then the Opernhaus Zürich has leased out the theatre and appointed a series of managers. In October 2014, Hanna Scheuring took over operational and artistic management.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Bernhard-Theater? At Sechseläutenplatz 1 in Zürich, within the Opernhaus Zürich complex.

How many people does it seat? About 400.

Is there somewhere to eat nearby? Yes, the Restaurant Belcanto is in the same complex.

What language are the shows in? The programme is German-language, often in Swiss German. Check the listing for each production before buying tickets.

Who founded the theatre? Rudolf Bernhard, a Swiss actor and comedian, in 1941.

Is it still open? Yes, it remains an active stage and part of the opera house complex.