Stadttheater Olten AG

What Stadttheater Olten AG does

Stadttheater Olten AG operates a historic theater and event venue in Olten, canton of Solothurn, Switzerland, serving regional audiences with theatrical productions, concerts, and corporate/private events. The core physical asset comprises two principal halls — the Theatersaal (498 seats) and the Konzertsaal (431 seats) — supplemented by a Foyer, Theaterbar, and the newly added conference rooms at Kapuzinerkloster Olten opened in July 2024, bringing the combined functional footprint to roughly 1,200 m² of usable event space.

The business is operated by a lean team of approximately seven employees under Managing Director Edith Scott, with Erich Vezzaro responsible for technical direction. Revenue is generated across multiple streams: ticket sales (distributed through the company's own webshop plus third-party platforms kulturticket.ch, eventfrog.ch, and ticketcorner.ch), season subscriptions, venue and hall rental for private and corporate events, bar and gastronomy income (operated in partnership with caterer Wälchli Feste AG), and corporate sponsorship anchored by three named main sponsors — Marco Dätwyler Gruppe AG, Baloise Bank Soba, and W. Thommen AG. The venue also bundles its cultural offering with regional hospitality partners Restaurant Aarhof and Restaurant Salmen under a "Heart of Switzerland" positioning.

Commercially, the company pursues a hybrid B2C/B2B model: cultural programming for individual ticket buyers and season subscribers on one side, and conference, corporate, and private-event hire on the other. The 2024 addition of Kapuzinerkloster conference rooms signals a deliberate extension into the regional MICE segment. There is no disclosed external funding, no M&A activity, and no proprietary technology platform — the operating model is fundamentally that of an established mid-size cultural venue extending its commercial surface rather than scaling through capital or technology.

Name

Stadttheater Olten AG

Legal name

Stadttheater Olten AG

Website

https://stadttheater-olten.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stadttheater Olten AG operates a historic theater and event venue in Olten, Switzerland, running theatrical productions, concerts, and corporate/private events across two main halls (929 seats total) and newly added Kapuzinerkloster conference rooms, serving regional audiences, event clients, and three named corporate sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Performance and Conference Venue Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE), Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA), Specialty & Historic Venues (Landmarks, Estates) (THAHAAAK)

Keywords

• Theater venue operations
• Cultural event hosting
• Conference venue rental
• Ticketing services
• Live performance programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Olten

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Revenue from individual performance tickets sold through online platforms and box office. Tiered pricing structure (54/44/34 CHF for standard events).
2. Venue rental: Conference and event venue rental including Theatersaal, Konzertsaal, Foyer, and additional meeting spaces. Combined with catering partnership.
3. Subscription series (Abos): Season subscription packages offering advantages and discounts for repeat customers.
4. Bar and catering services: Theater bar serving drinks, snacks, and sweets before performances. Partnership with Wälchli Feste AG for event catering services.
5. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship from main sponsors Marco Dätwyler Gruppe AG, Baloise Bank Soba, and W. Thommen AG.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stadttheater Olten AG operates a multi-purpose cultural and conference venue in Olten, Switzerland, presenting a season program of plays, concerts, operas, operettas, musicals, comedy, and guest events across its Theatersaal (498 seats) and Konzertsaal (431 seats). It also rents its halls, foyer, and additional conference rooms (including the historic Kapuzinerkloster Olten) to corporate and private organizers, bundled with catering through partner Wälchli Feste AG.

Product overview

Stadttheater Olten AG operates as a cultural and conference venue offering a unified portfolio of venue spaces and event services. The core offering consists of two main halls: the Theatersaal (498 seats) and Konzertsaal (431 seats), complemented by the Foyer (224m2 across two floors) for conferences and events. Additional venue spaces include the Kapuzinerkloster Olten with historic conference rooms (Refektorium, Sitzungszimmer, Sprechzimmer, and Klostergarten). Add-on services include catering through partner Wälchli Feste AG, in-house Theaterbar, ticket sales with subscription packages, accessibility services, and a donation program. The venue targets both cultural audiences (plays, concerts, operas, musicals, comedy) and corporate clients (seminars, conferences, banquets, trade fairs).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Theatersaal (Theater Hall Rental and Programming) The main theater hall with 498 seats (including 157 balcony), 248m2 floor space, orchestra pit, and 84m2 main stage with 35m2 fore-stage, used for in-house drama, comedy, musicals, opera productions and rental for external events.
• Konzertsaal (Concert Hall Rental and Programming) Concert hall with 431 seats (63 balcony), 270m2, suitable for concerts, festivals, and festive events with banquet seating for up to 350 guests.
• Foyer (Reception and Event Space) Two-floor foyer space of 224m2 total (112m2 ground floor and 112m2 upper floor), accommodating up to 60 in concert setup or 30 in seminar setup, used as reception, exhibition and event space.
• Kapuzinerkloster Olten Conference Rooms Historic monastery conference rooms located 100m from the main theater, used for seminars, meetings, and banquets with full AV and accessibility support.
• Seminar- und Tagungszentrum (Conference Center Package) Combined seminar and conference center services bundling cultural ambiance with versatile room combinations, technical infrastructure, and catering for corporate seminars, conferences, banquets, and trade fairs.
• Tickets and Subscriptions (Abos) Individual performance tickets and season subscription packages covering plays, concerts, operas, musicals, comedy, and guest events, with subscription holders receiving advantages and discounts.
• Catering (Wälchli Feste AG Partnership) Event catering services provided in partnership with Wälchli Feste AG, including apéros, intermission buffets, business lunches, and formal banquets led by Chef Monika Horisberger.
• Theaterbar (In-house Bar Service) In-house bar opening one hour before performances, serving drinks, snacks, and sweets including non-alcoholic options, with pre-ordering of interval drinks available.

Quantifiable outcome

• Combined venue capacity of 929 seats (498 + 431)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core partner and minor.

• Wälchli Feste AGcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerGastronomy partner providing catering services for events and performances. Chef Monika Horisberger leads the kitchen team at Stadttheater. Services include apéros, intermission buffets, business lunches, and formal banquets.
• Restaurant AarhofminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner restaurant offering culinary accompaniment for theater and concert visitors with service aligned to theater schedules.
• Restaurant SalmenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner restaurant providing dining options for theater attendees with service coordinated to performance times.
• Shake CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction company behind the 'Extrawurst' theatrical comedy performance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stadttheater Bern: Bern's municipal theater presenting opera, operetta, musicals, ballet, and drama. Closely comparable multi-stage regional theater with subscription-based programming and a similar municipal/regional positioning.
• Volkshaus Basel: Basel event and congress venue combining halls, meeting rooms, and cultural programming. Comparable hybrid cultural-conference venue at a similar regional scale in the Swiss-German market.
• Luzerner Theater: Swiss regional theater offering opera, operetta, musicals, and ballet in Lucerne. Highly comparable as a multi-genre Swiss theater venue serving a similar mid-sized Central Swiss catchment with subscription programming.
• Tonhalle Zürich: Zürich's primary concert hall hosting symphony concerts, chamber music, and classical programming. Directly comparable as a Swiss concert-hall operator with subscription seasons and a historic venue footprint.
• Theater Basel: A three-stage theater (Schauspiel, Oper, Ballett) operating in Basel, Switzerland. Directly comparable as a multi-hall Swiss regional theater offering opera, operetta, musicals, and drama with combined venue capacity in the same range.

Broad incumbents

• Kongresshaus Zürich: Zurich's flagship convention and event center combining congress facilities with cultural programming. Comparable as a hybrid conference-and-cultural venue, though significantly larger and serving an international rather than regional catchment.
• KKL Luzern: Culture and Convention Centre Lucerne combining concert halls with congress facilities. The closest direct peer in the hybrid cultural-and-conference model, though at significantly larger scale and lakeside international positioning.
• Kursaal Bern: Bern's event and congress complex offering large-hall events, concerts, conferences, and banquets. Comparable in the conference-plus-events dimension of the business, though with broader entertainment and hotel amenities.
• Opernhaus Zürich: Zürich's flagship opera and ballet house. Comparable as a Swiss performing-arts venue with opera-heavy programming, though at a much larger international scale and budget.

Emerging players

• Casino Bern: Bern venue offering concerts, theater, and events with multiple halls and conference facilities. Comparable as a mid-sized Swiss multi-purpose cultural venue with overlapping programming mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StadttheaterOlten
• Instagraminstagram.com/stadttheaterolten
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stadttheater-olten-ag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Stadttheater Olten AG