Bernhard Theater
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What's on here
Das perfekte Geheimnis
Friday · All day
Das perfekte Geheimnis
Friday, 19:30
Das perfekte Geheimnis
Saturday · All day
Das perfekte Geheimnis
Saturday, 20:00
Das perfekte Geheimnis
Sunday · All day
Das perfekte Geheimnis
Sunday, 18:00
Bingo-Show!
Monday · All day
Bingo-Show!
Monday, 20:00
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Why go
- Comedies, crime plays, children’s musicals and musical comedies
- Monthly stand-up featuring performers from Germany and Switzerland
- A theatre of nearly 400 seats arranged for dining and drinks
The hall
- Stage
- Proscenium stage
- Stage and performances
- Theatre groups, touring companies and solo performers
Tickets and box office
- See the theatre’s website for the performance schedule.
Interesting facts3
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Maria Schell made her stage debut here.
Bernhard-Theater - Wikipedia -
1962
By 1962, 7,000 performances had featured prominent Swiss artists.
Bernhard-Theater - Wikipedia -
The current building is popularly nicknamed Fleischchäs.
Bernhard-Theater - Wikipedia
Shorts
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Lulu Bar, Bernhard Theater, Zürich. 25.12.24Maya Stocker
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Bernhard-Theater, celery juice and vocalizing… Sunday morning funI Barbieri Singers
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Pony M und Marcel Mann (STAND UP! Comedy Show - Bernhard Theater Züri…STAND UP! COMEDY SHOW
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STAND UP! COMEDY SHOW Trailer_Premiere @Bernhard Theater/ ZürichSTAND UP! COMEDY SHOW
History
The early theatre had its own ensemble alongside guest performances, spoken theatre and music theatre, and mainly staged light comedies. Rudolf Bernhard often performed as a comedian.
- 1925J. Pfister Picault built the Grand Café Esplanade.
- 1941Rudolf Bernhard founded and named the theatre in 1941, occupying the former Grand Café Esplanade. The first performance was Härzlig willkomme on 19 December; the ensemble’s opening performances on 19–20 December featured Swiss German farces and comedies.
- Late 1940sThe company began touring Switzerland at the start of each season.
- 1961/63The Zürcher Märchenbühne presented winter fairy tales for children.
- 1962After Rudolf Bernhard’s death, brothers Eynar and Vincent Grabowsky took over management. After 1962, the programme expanded to chanson evenings, musicals and drag shows.
Show all
- 1974Eynar Grabowsky, Hans Gmür and Karl Suter started the weekly Bernhard-Apéro.
- 1978The theatre became a Swiss-law public limited company.
- 1981The original building was demolished in May for an opera house expansion.
- 1984The present building opened in December 1984 after three transitional years at Restaurant Kaufleuten.
- 1999The theatre entered bankruptcy after restructuring attempts failed.
- 2003/04The city and Opernhaus selected new managers and an artistic advisory panel.
- 2004From August, the premises were rented for events and used for theatre guest performances.
- 2014Hanna Scheuring became operations director in October and revived Bernhard-Apéro events.
- 2016The theatre marked its 75th anniversary with a production of Cabaret.
How to get there
- On footFind the theatre at Sechseläutenplatz, within the Opernhaus Zürich complex.
Sources: Bernhard-Theater Zürich - Wikipedia · Home - Bernhard Theater Zürich · NZZ Geschichtsdebatte - Lesung & Vorträge - Ber… · NZZ Geschichte on Tour - Lesung & Vorträge - Be… · Bernhard-Theater - Wikipedia · checked 26 Sep 2026
- Website
- bernhard-theater.ch/
- Phone
- +41 44 268 66 99
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Questions and answers
Where can I buy tickets for Bernhard Theater?
At the Opernhaus box office.
Can I hire Bernhard Theater’s hall?
The hall can be rented for events, conferences and openings.
How many seats does Bernhard Theater have?
Nearly 400 seats, arranged for dining and drinks.
Is there a café or restaurant at Bernhard Theater?
The interior includes Bar Café Bernhard, and the complex also contains Restaurant Belcanto.
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