Alexander Zemlinsky’s “dresses make people” at the Cottbus Culture State Theater

The Cottbus State Theater is a sensation. It is completely free, surrounded by a park lined with impressive town houses. It is an escapist building in the style of the late Art Nouveau and was created because the citizens wanted it. At the beginning of the 20th century, Cottbus was rich because of his textile industry, and the citizens wanted to demonstrate this wealth confidently. At the end of the war, they saved it from explosive – it had previously served as a armory, the Soviet troops wanted to have it away. Stephan Märki, the director of the State Theater, thinks that something of this pride of the Cottbuser is still being felt today. In fact, one thing is noticeable if you listen to the spectators’ conversations: a visit to the theater is nothing special here, but of course. Cottbus has around 100,000 inhabitants, the theater alone in Cottbus itself – it also plays other places in Brandenburg – more than 100,000 visitors a year.