Its principal conductors and music
directors have included Karl Böhm , Kurt
Sanderling , Herbert Blomstedt , Giuseppe
Sinopoli , Bernard Haitink and Fabio Luisi .
Christian Thielemann has been principal
conductor of the Staatskapelle since
2012 .
Aaron S . Watkin has been director of
Semperoper Ballett since 2006 . He has
promoted a diverse repertoire ranging
from traditional narrative ballets to
contemporary dance , setting
international standards with a select
group of brilliant soloists .
After Gottfried Semper ’ s first theatre
from 1841 burned down in 1869 , the opera
was opened in its present design in 1878 .
When this building was destroyed by the
air raids of 1945 , Saxon State Opera
became “ homeless ” until the
reconstructed Semperoper was officially
opened in 1985 .
Wolfgang Rothe has been commercial
director of the Semperoper Dresden since
2005 , and since January 2013 has also
been in charge of Saxon State Theatres ,
an institution created out of the former
State Opera and State Theatre . From 2012
to 2018 Wolfgang Rothe was also acting
managing director of the Semperoper .