The Semperoper is situated in a prominent location within Dresden’s Old Town, between the Zwinger and the River Elbe, and forms the north-western boundary of Theatre Square.
When carrying out construction work in the outdoor area, events such as the Semper Opera Ball or the City Festival must be taken into account at an early stage of the planning process.
All building works are carried out in close consultation with the heritage authorities and require detailed evidence to be secured in advance, as well as documentation of the construction process and the results.
Since 2016, ongoing restoration work has been taking place on the listed building, comprising waterproofing work in the plinth area, the repair of the sandstone facade and the replacement of door systems. Recurring damp damage in the basement necessitated drainage and waterproofing around the entire perimeter of the building.
The facade restoration of the side vestibules facing the Zwinger and the Elbe primarily involved natural stonework on the facade, supplemented by restoration work on 24 sandstone figures. Regular facade inspections have since been carried out to systematically record damage and identify the respective repair requirements.
The door units on the north side had to be replaced due to significant wear and tear. The new double-leaf entrance doors, with their frames and panelling, match the existing doors in colour and profile and meet modern requirements in terms of security and hardware.
Semperoper Dresden, Open Staircase at Theatre Square and Stage House
Waterproofing
Water damage to the external walls on the Theatre Square side of the basement necessitated the drainage and external waterproofing of the open staircase leading to Theatre Square, as well as the refurbishment and waterproofing of the ‘Champagne Room’, which lies beneath the surface of the square. The works involved the complete demolition of the staircase and its landing, as well as the exposure and waterproofing of the external basement wall down to 5 metres below ground level.
Along the external walls of the theatre building, moisture caused by infiltrating rainwater was detected in the basement on both the Zwinger and Elbe sides. Renewing the external waterproofing involved dismantling the building envelope in the area of the sandstone plinth and the landings with their granite paving.
Stage House, construction phase 2025
Semperoper Dresden, Open Staircase at Theatre Square and Stage House
Refurbishment
To create a continuous waterproof seal around the opera house, the connection to the underground passage adjoining the Champagne Room was cut off and sealed in a reversible manner.
Inside, the effects of damp damage on the interior surfaces of the external walls were remedied partly through desalination measures and partly by replacing the plaster.
Outside, the open staircase was restored in a manner consistent with the listed building.
Semperoper Dresden,
Overall Approach to Accessibility
As part of the restoration of the square’s surface, the design incorporated a new ramp on the Zwinger side into the open staircase, modelled on the existing ramp on the Elbe side, to ensure barrier-free access from both sides. The associated call systems were discreetly integrated into the vertical joints of the bossed façade stones.
Semperoper Dresden, Stage House
Waterproofing work on the Zwinger and Elbe sides
The new Posta sandstone blocks installed once the waterproofing work had been completed match the profile and surface texture of the existing stones.
Semperoper Dresden, Roof balustrade
Repair
The routine façade inspection carried out in 2023 identified extensive damage to the balustrade in the roof area, classified as Category 2: ‘moderate damage > measures required in the medium term’.
Based on this assessment, the balustrade was repaired after more than 30 years of service.
The works included extensive safety measures on the plinths and the balustrade coping. These comprised the replacement or repair of the natural stone elements and metalwork, including the connection to the roof waterproofing.
