Forschungsinstitut für Musiktheater

Since 1977, it has been based at Thurnau Castle, where it has a specialist library containing around 40,000 items of media, and a programme collection numbering approximately 30,000.

From 1983 to 2006, the Institute was directed by Sieghart Döhring, who placed one of his research focuses on the opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer.

Since the Institute returned to the restored premises of the Hans-Georgen building in 2007, chamber concerts as well as experimental performance formats have been realised in the Ahnensaal of Thurnau Castle.

A number of renowned scholars have worked at fimt over the decades and have made significant contributions to research on music theatre.

These include Gabriele Brandstetter, Maren Butte, Markus Engelhardt, Rainer Franke, Melanie Fritsch, Ulrike Hartung, Knut Holtsträter, Arnold Jacobshagen, Manuela Jahrmärker, Dominic Larue, Marion Linhardt, Katrin Losleben, Stephan Mösch, Ruth Müller-Lindenberg, Gunhild Oberzaucher-Schüller, Thomas Steiert, Susanne Rode-Breymann, Stephanie Schroedter, Mathias Spohr, Susanne Vill, Sebastian Werr, and Saskia Woyke.

As a centre of interdisciplinary research, fimt promotes cooperation with national and international musical theatre institutions.

With the 22nd volume in 2008, the series underwent a conceptual and visual overhaul due to the change of publisher to Königshausen & Neumann.

"Thurnauer Schriften" also reflect the broad concept of music theatre that underlies the research and teaching activities of the Institute.