"Opera and cycling in Mainz" Top 5 Page for this destination Mainz by Nemorino

Mainz Travel Guide: 320 reviews and 712 photos

Mainz & Rhine River from Mainspitze - Mainz

Just got back from an opera premiere in Mainz, a fine new production of Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) by Richard Wagner, conducted by General Music Director Catherine Rückwardt. (September 18, 2004.)

Another memorable opera experience for me in Mainz was their production, several years ago, of Lady Macbeth of Mzensk, by Dimitrij Schostakowitsch.

This passionate, violent and beautiful opera was huge success in Leningrad and Moscow when it first came out in 1934 and 1935, but then Stalin saw it and disapproved. He wasn't about to tolerate such a sordid tale of a frustrated young housewife taking an illicit lover and killing her father-in-law and her husband, among other crimes. The opera was immediately banned in the Soviet Union.

People were being executed by the thousands in this period, and how Schostakowitsch managed to survive Stalin's wrath is still not entirely clear. But survive he did, and wrote some great symphonies and chamber music up to his death at age 69 in 1975, but never another great opera.

State Theater, Mainz

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There was at least one season when both Frankfurt and Mainz had productions of Lady Macbeth of Mzensk in their schedules.

German newspaper columnists sometimes get upset about this, saying neighboring opera houses should coordinate their planning and not both do the same opera in the same year. I hope this never happens, because one of the most exciting things is to be able to see the same opera staged in two completely different ways.

The Rhine River at Mainz

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Mainz is right across the the Rhine River from Wiesbaden. Both are state capitals, both have good opera houses, and what I never realized is that they are both just about the same distance from Frankfurt.

I always had the feeling that Mainz was further away, since it is off on the other side of the Rhine, and in a different Land of the German federation -- Land Rhineland-Pfalz, that sounds very far away, somehow, for us residents of Hessen.

But according to a nice website called www.koordinaten.de they are just about the same distance, in fact Mainz is all of 61 meters closer.

They calculate the straight-line distance from the center of Frankfurt to the center of Wiesbaden as being 31.529 km, and Frankfurt to Mainz as being 31.468 km. Both within easy cycling distance, in any case.

Last visit to Mainz: Jun 2007
Intro Updated Jan 21, 2008
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Reviews (19)

View from the Citadel Off The Beaten Path (9)

Like just about any other place in Mainz and vicinity, the Citadel affords nice views of the cathedral from several... more travel advice

Zitadelle Off The Beaten Path (9)

On the Jakobsberg, a hill just behind the south station and the Theatrum Mogontiacensium, there is a large baroque... more travel advice

Gutenberg statue and the cathedral - Mainz

Gutenberg statue and the cathedral Things to Do (8)

This is the statue of Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, on Gutenbergplatz near the cathedral. He... more travel advice

Gutenbergplatz and State Theater - Mainz

Gutenbergplatz Things to Do (8)

Gutenbergplatz is one of the central squares of Mainz. Except for buses, no motorized traffic is allowed. When you sit... more travel advice

Favorites (1)
Stage entrance

Transportation (1)
The S-Bahn

Comments (40)

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Regina1965 Jan 11, 2013 at 3:55 PM

What a beautiful view of the Cathedral from the State Theatre. Lovely photos.
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bugulma Apr 7, 2011 at 11:51 PM

beautiful views of surroundings. nice idea to make a shot of the stage entrance :-)
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MalenaN Jan 23, 2011 at 1:28 AM

The views from the State Theatre over the Cathedral is great. Sounds to be a nice place to stand with a drink!
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csordila Jun 17, 2009 at 1:19 PM

Thanks for visiting my Mainz, München and Leipzig. Among your exelent tips I have not found an answer, whether you have ever visited the city by bicycle. Laszlo
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LoriPori May 11, 2009 at 9:14 AM

Mainz sure is rich in culture and museums. You must have been in your glory here Don.
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Trekki Jan 31, 2009 at 6:18 AM

I have still not been in Mainz recently, so I am looking forward to spring and then visit the museum, Dom and the market :-)) Maybe by bicyle, although we have quite good train connections :-)
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christine.j Dec 12, 2008 at 9:30 AM

Your page reminds me that it's been a long time since I last went to Mainz. I used to live close to the Mainzspitze, when I attended university there.Thanks for bringing back good memories.
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Kuznetsov_Sergey Oct 24, 2008 at 7:41 AM

Another ancient German city which I have to visit next time! The Cathedral and the Theatrum Mogontiacensium are really worth exploring. Thanks Don for the virtual tour!
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evaanna Oct 20, 2008 at 3:08 AM

A nice place to visit. The Gutenberg Museum looks really interesting and so does the excavation site. Not many cities can boast the site of a Roman theatre.
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xaver Feb 24, 2008 at 6:04 AM

The space at the top of the state theater looks a great place for a drink and a nice view, it reminds me the bar they built at the top of Uffizi museum in Florence.