The Leipzig Opera is the third oldest opera venue in Europe, dating back to its beginnings in 1673. Only La Fenice (Venice, Italy) and the Hamburg State Opera (Hamburg, Germany), pre-date it.

Today's modern opera house, built after the former opera house was destroyed during a bombing raid in 1943, held its first performance on October 8 1960; a performance of Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

Today the Opera house has a large repertoire of performances both classical and modern opera and ballet, accompanied by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, a tradition that goes back to 1766.