This opera house is a living evidence of the fact that great art can be born in a small provincial city - by refusing to conform to the dictates of the limited taste and aggressive demands typical of an inexperienced audience and by enticing the whole world to follow you instead. The Wuppertal Opera is the place where almost all the works of the German dancer, director and choreographer Pina Bausch were created; her interest in man developed a whole new genre of art, defined unprecedented conditions of viewing and discovered untried stage potential - transforming the opera stage into a mirror-like water surface, a lawn or a salt desert. For three decades, the art of Pina Bausch made the small industrial city flanked by hillsides an alluring destination for the discerning culture tourist from every corner of the world - from Japan to Brazil. The 1990s saw the birth of a new tradition: the Wuppertal Dance Festival hosted by Pina Bausch and featuring appearances by many give back to the local community and celebrate the joy of togetherness. For almost ten years the Wuppertal opera was closed for renovation; in 2009, the final year of Pina Bausch's life, the building opened its doors to be revealed in new splendour - literally. A completely new era started for the freshly renovated opera. The small and dingy yet incredibly popular staff cafeteria opposite the auditorium, invariably frequented by everyone during the breaks and after the performance, has now been transformed into a clinically lit huge hall where beer is no longer served and smoking is off-limits - and where no-one really hangs out anymore. However, the Wuppertal Opera remains a noteworthy destination - after all, the works of Pina Bausch still live on its stage.
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