He focused on opera of the 20th century, including composers who had been banned during the Nazi regime, such as Korngold's Die tote Stadt, and literature operas including Gottfried von Einem's Kabale und Liebe, and the world premieres of Blacher's Yvonne, Prinzessin von Burgund, and Klebe's Das Mädchen aus Domrémy.
He directed the world premiere of Blacher's Yvonne, Prinzessin von Burgund on 15 September 1973, with dancer Pina Bausch in the mute title role.
However, he faced opposition from opera director Rolf Mares, who was responsible for finances, as well as with conductor Hans Zender and stage technicians who had to work extra hours.
[3] He directed Unter dem Milchwald by Walter Steffens and Gottfried von Einem's Kabale und Liebe, both in 1973, and Die Frau ohne Schatten by Richard Strauss in 1977.
In October 1989, shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the ensemble played Korngold's Die tote Stadt and Klebe's Der Jüngste Tag at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden.
[2] Christoph Meyer [de], his successor at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, wrote in memory of what he called one of the personalities who shaped the house: "With great artistic passion, Kurt Horres worked above all as a pioneer of modernity who firmly believed in the future of opera as an art form and convinced audiences of its relevance time and again" ("Mit großer künstlerischer Leidenschaft wirkte Kurt Horres vor allem als Wegbereiter der Moderne, der fest an die Zukunft der Kunstform Oper glaubte und das Publikum immer wieder von ihrer Relevanz überzeugte").