4 Riharda Vāgnera Street

The Classicism-style building was constructed as Riga's first permanent theatre according to the design of Baltic German architect Christoph Haberland. From 1782 to 1863, the building held numerous popular European opera performances, concerts by famous musicians and composers. The history of Riga's theatre arts especially marks the years between 1837 and 1839, when German composer and conductor Richard Wagner worked in the city. Right here he begun composing his first remarkable opera Rienzi, and the first ideas for The Flying Dutchman, probably, were born here. Only crude iron stairs and some interior details have been preserved from the initial interior. The former theatre hall is also dismantled. Its seating arrangement in circle and deepened orchestra pit was used by Wagner as a model in building his own opera house Bayreuth Festspielhaus. Right here, in Riga, Wagner introduced the principle of a conductor facing the orchestra.