The Leipzig Opera is a three-section theater, consisting of the actual opera, the Leipzig Ballet and the musical comedy . In addition to the Gewandhaus, drama and theater in the Junge Welt, it is one of the city’s own cultural businesses. The Leipzig Opera operates two venues: the Opera House on Augustusplatz in the city center and the Dreilinden House in the Lindenau district . The Leipzig Opera has a tradition of almost 330 years of musical theater maintenance in Leipzig. In 1693, the first Leipzig Opera House on Brühl was opened as the third bourgeois music theater in Europe after the Teatro San Cassiano in Venice and the Opera on Gänsemarkt in Hamburg. With over 600 employees, Leipzig Opera is one of the largest medium-sized employers in the city. These include an ensemble of 24 dedicated singing soloists, the Leipzig Opera Chorus with 69 members; the ensemble of the Leipzig Ballet with 39 dancers; as well as the 14 soloists, choir, ballet and orchestra of musical comedy. The Gewandhaus Orchestra usually also performs at opera and ballet performances. Ulf Schirmer has been General Music Director of the Leipzig Opera since the 2009/10 season, and has also been the general director of the entire company since 2011. Under his musical direction, the works of German and Italian Romanticism become the focus of the repertoire. Mario Schröder is the ballet director and chief choreographer. In the musical comedy, Stefan Klingele acts as music director and chief conductor, and Cusch Jung as chief director.