Stage Bern

What Stage Bern does

Stage Bern (legal name Bühnen Bern, formerly Konzert Theater Bern) is a municipal performing-arts institution headquartered at Kornhausplatz in Bern, Switzerland, operating since at least 2011 as a four-division 'Vierspartenhaus' comprising Opera (Oper Bern), Drama (Schauspiel Bern), Ballet (Bern Ballett), and the Berner Symphonieorchester, supplemented by a chamber-music series (Kammermusik Bern) and contemporary programming (Nouvelle Scène). The institution produces and presents 384+ events per season across four venues — Stadttheater (mainstage plus Mansarde attic theater and VIERTE WAND restaurant), Casino Bern Grosser Saal (symphonic concerts), Vidmarhallen (Vidmar 1 and Vidmar 2, plus costume rental Kostümfundus), and Villa Morillon (open-air performances) — plus off-site events such as the Bundesplatz open-air concert.

Its business model combines publicly funded institutional subsidy from the city and canton of Bern with diversified earned revenue: ticket sales through an online webshop (tickets.buehnenbern.ch) and physical box office across five price categories from CHF 15 reduced seats to CHF 90–150 premium opera; season subscriptions (Wahlabo, series packages); donations and sponsorships from foundations including Warlomont-Anger-Stiftung, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, GVB Kulturstiftung, and BEKB Förderfonds; and ancillary services including the VIERTE WAND restaurant, costume rental, and venue rental. Customer segmentation spans general adult theatergoers, schools and educational institutions (CHF 10–15 student tickets, Patenklasse concert sponsorship, Schauspiel mobil outreach), families with children (children's operas, Sunday-afternoon free childcare), and young adults under 30 (CHF 5 Insider Club tickets).

Leadership includes Intendant Florian Scholz (in role since 2021/22, prior Stadttheater Klagenfurt and Bayerische Staatsoper) and Chief Conductor of Opera Alevtina Ioffe (since 2025/26). The 2026/27 season features opera premieres of La traviata and the world premiere of Sarah Nemtsov's Ophelias Flügel, the world premiere play Die Hülle glänzt with Theater Winkelwiese Zürich, a My Fair Lady musical production, and an open-air concert on Bundesplatz. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through own online ticketing and box office, with additional reach via school direct sales, email newsletter, and on-site community engagement.

Name

Stage Bern

Legal name

Bühnen Bern

Website

https://buehnenbern.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Stage Bern (Bühnen Bern) is a publicly funded municipal performing-arts institution in Bern, Switzerland, operating four artistic divisions — Opera, Drama, Ballet, and Bern Symphony Orchestra — across multiple venues, serving general audiences, schools, families, and young adults through ticketed performances and educational outreach.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Dance Companies (71112)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire) (MPAGADAA), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Opera and theater productions
• Symphony orchestra concerts
• Ballet performances
• Live stage productions

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales across all four artistic divisions: opera, drama, ballet, and Bern Symphony Orchestra. Tickets sold through online shop, box office, and subscription packages.
2. Subscriptions/Abonnemente: Season subscriptions and package deals for multiple performances including Wahlabo (choice subscriptions) and series packages.
3. Sponsoring & Donations: Support from private foundations (Warlomont-Anger-Stiftung, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, GVB Kulturstiftung, BEKB Förderfonds) and cultural patronage/legacies.
4. Gastronomy & Venue Rental: VIERTE WAND restaurant operations at Stadttheater, costume rental (Kostümfundus), and venue rentals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bühnen Bern is a municipal Stadttheater that produces and presents opera, drama, ballet, symphonic concerts, chamber music, and contemporary theater across its four artistic divisions (Berner Symphonieorchester, Oper, Schauspiel, Bern Ballett) plus Kammermusik Bern and Nouvelle Scène. It sells tickets, subscriptions, and ancillary services (guided tours, school programs, venue-based gastronomy) to individual consumers and educational institutions in the Bern region. The institution complements its artistic programming with educational outreach, family and youth initiatives (Insider Club), and venue hospitality (VIERTE WAND restaurant, Kostümfundus costume rental).

Product overview

Bühnen Bern is a four-division performing arts venue (Vierspartenhaus) comprising Opera, Drama (Schauspiel), Ballet (Bern Ballett), and the Berner Symphonieorchester symphony orchestra, plus Chamber Music and Nouvelle Scène. The venue offers a comprehensive portfolio including mainstage productions, chamber performances, family concerts, and educational programs. Supporting offerings include guided tours (Führungen), the VIERTE WAND restaurant/bar, childcare during performances, and special events like Milonga del Teatro and Oper unterm Dach. Tickets are sold through an online webshop with subscription options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Berner Symphonieorchester: The symphonic orchestra of Bühnen Bern performing classical concert repertoire at Casino Bern
• Oper Bern
• Schauspiel Bern
• Bern Ballett
• Kammermusik Bern
• Nouvelle Scène
• VIERTE WAND

Products and services

• Oper (Opera) Full opera productions performed at the Stadttheater, featuring international singers and conductors and a resident ensemble, including works by Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, and contemporary composers. Targeted at adult opera enthusiasts and opera newcomers.
• Schauspiel (Drama / Theater) Theatrical play productions at the Stadttheater, Vidmarhallen and Villa Morillon spanning classical and contemporary works, including world premieres and reinterpretations of literary classics. Targeted at theater enthusiasts, families and school groups.
• Bern Ballett Dance productions by the resident Bern Ballett company, including contemporary ballet, classical works and new choreographies. Performed at the Stadttheater and other venues for dance audiences.
• Berner Symphonieorchester (Bern Symphony Orchestra) Resident symphony orchestra performing symphonic concerts at Casino Bern Grosser Saal, accompanying opera and ballet productions, and presenting family concerts. Targeted at classical music audiences and concert subscribers.
• Kammermusik Bern (Chamber Music) Chamber music concerts and series featuring small ensembles and intimate performances. Targeted at chamber-music audiences seeking closer, more intimate concert experiences.
• Nouvelle Scène Contemporary and experimental stage productions, including new works and innovative theatrical approaches. Targeted at audiences interested in contemporary and experimental theater.
• Führungen (Guided Tours) Public guided tours of the Stadttheater (CHF 5–8), with additional formats for children, families and sensory tours including sign-language interpretation. Targeted at visitors, tourists, school classes and accessibility audiences.
• VIERTE WAND (Theater Restaurant & Bar) Theater restaurant and bar in the Stadttheater foyer serving food and drinks before, during and after performances, also hosting Milonga del Teatro tango evenings. Targeted at theatergoers, visitors and local patrons.
• Milonga del Teatro Argentine tango event series held in the Stadttheater foyer featuring traditional Tandas with rotating DJs and a práctica session (CHF 10). Targeted at the local tango and dance community.
• Schulprogramme (School Programs / Bühnen Bern PLUS) Educational programs for schools across Canton Bern including discounted tickets (CHF 10–15 per student), guided tours, workshops, rehearsal visits, school concerts by the Bern Symphony Orchestra, the Patenklassen class-patron program, and the Schauspiel mobil mobile drama program. Targeted at kindergarten, primary and secondary schools.
• Kinderbetreuung (Childcare) Free childcare services for children aged 3–12 during select Sunday afternoon performances at the Stadttheater, enabling parents to attend cultural events. Targeted at families with children.
• Kostümfundus (Costume Rental) Costume rental service at Vidmarhallen (Könizstrasse 161, 3097 Bern-Liebefeld) for theater, film and schools, open Wednesday–Friday 10:00–17:00 by appointment. Targeted at theater, film productions and educational institutions.
• La traviata | Premiere Premiere production of Giuseppe Verdi's opera La traviata at the Stadttheater as part of the 2026/27 season. Targeted at adult opera audiences.
• Tosca | Wiederaufnahme Revival production of Giacomo Puccini's opera Tosca at the Stadttheater, originally staged in the 2023/24 season by Raimund Orfeo Voigt, returning to the stage in the 2026/27 season. Targeted at adult opera audiences.
• Openair-Konzert auf dem Bundesplatz Season-opening open-air concert by the Bern Symphony Orchestra on the Bundesplatz in Bern, featuring a "very British" program with Regula Mühlemann. Scheduled for 22.08.2026 as part of the 2026/27 season. Targeted at general audiences and visitors.
• My fair Lady Premiere of the musical My fair Lady by Frederick Loewe, directed by Axel Ranisch and performed with the Berner Symphonieorchester, in German with German subtitles. Scheduled for premiere in April 2027. Targeted at musical theater audiences.
• Ophelias Flügel

Quantifiable outcome

• 384+ events per season across 4 artistic divisions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Theater Winkelwiese ZürichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for the premiere of 'Die Hülle glänzt' by Kristina Malyseva - a Swiss theater coproduction between Bern and Zurich venues.
• Queer Tango BernminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization for special edition Milonga del Teatro events on October 26, 2026.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Theater Basel: Swiss municipal three-division theater (opera, drama, ballet) in Basel of comparable size and structure to Bühnen Bern; competes for the same Swiss German-speaking audience and talent pool.
• Opernhaus Zürich: Zurich's opera and ballet house, the largest performing arts venue in Switzerland; directly comparable opera and ballet programming and a primary competitor for Swiss audiences and international guest artists.
• Schauspielhaus Zürich: Zurich's flagship drama venue presenting a comparable Schauspiel repertoire to Bühnen Bern's drama division; overlaps directly on production type, ticket tiers, and German-language theater audience.
• Theater St. Gallen: Swiss municipal theater with combined opera, drama, and ballet programming; comparable scale and multi-division structure to Bühnen Bern, competing for regional Swiss audiences and tour-stop productions.
• Theater Luzern: Lucerne's municipal theater operating opera, drama, and ballet divisions; similar mid-sized Swiss German-speaking municipal theater profile to Bühnen Bern, with overlapping repertoire and subscription model.
• Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn (TOBS): Bilingual (German/French) Swiss regional theater and orchestra serving the Biel-Solothurn corridor; operates a smaller-scale multi-division model including a resident orchestra and drama ensemble analogous to Bühnen Bern's structure.

Broad incumbents

• Konzerthaus Berlin: Major Berlin concert hall and venue operator with multi-genre programming including symphonic concerts and theater; substantially larger than Bühnen Bern but operates a comparable multi-format cultural-venue model in a German-speaking market.
• Bayerische Staatsoper: Munich's flagship state opera and ballet presenter; a much larger and better-funded institution whose dramaturgical and executive alumni (Scholz, Karlitschek) now lead Bühnen Bern, making it the senior benchmark for talent and repertoire.
• Wiener Staatsoper: Vienna's premier opera house and one of the world's leading opera institutions; serves as the upper-end repertoire benchmark against which mid-sized houses like Bühnen Bern position their season.
• Komische Oper Berlin: Berlin-based opera and musical theater house programming opera, operetta, and musical theater at a larger scale than Bühnen Bern; relevant incumbent comparison for repertoire choice and subscription economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BuehnenBern
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buehnenbern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stage Bern