Extravagant European Theaters Photographed From The Actor’s Point of View

Neue Flora, Hamburg /Phantom der Oper © Klaus Frahm

Staatsoper Hannover © Klaus Frahm

Klaus Frahm’s passion for photography started at an early age — at just fifteen — when he was determined on becoming a photojournalist. But all that changed after his camera got destroyed at a labour day demonstration back in 1969. Instead, he turned to landscape photography, and then, architecture.

In The Fourth Wall: Stages, Börnsen-based Frahm explores the brilliant architecture of theater and opera houses across Europe. But instead of showing their opulent designs, Frahm shows us the ‘fourth wall’ — the opening of the stage towards the audience.

Since 2010, Frahm has been dissecting the stage and in this series, he allows the viewer to see the real space of the theater and stage, explored from many directions. We finally see the workspace behind the curtain and get a unique perspective from the camera.

While many actors, opera singers and musicians have no doubt become accustomed to seeing the nitty gritty of theaters and opera houses, for those who have only seen these buildings from the perspective of a ticket holder, these images give life to the inner workings of these grand architectural masterpieces.

“The contrast of machinery and the ‘sofa-room’ is exciting, if you imagine for example the Berliner Ensemble where all the plays of Berthold Brecht were acted out for an audience sitting in bourgeois neo-baroque surrounding,” explains Frahm. “Where is the stage? Sometimes it seems, that the audience becomes the play put on stage.”

For more of Klaus Frahm’s work, visit his website.

Markgräfliches Operanhaus, Bayreuth © Klaus Frahm 

Berliner Ensemble, Berlin © Klaus Frahm

Schosstheater Celle © Klaus Frahm

Thalia Theater, Hamburg © Klaus Frahm

Staatstheater Hannover © Klaus Frahm