Why go
This is the right cultural thread to follow if an evening performance matters more than another museum. Check the company's current programme and the city of the selected performance: the institution uses both Düsseldorf and Duisburg venues, and the journey is different for each.
The full story
Düsseldorf and Duisburg have a shared opera history rather than one interchangeable opera house. Their houses had a close connection from the late nineteenth century into the early twentieth century; the present Deutsche Oper am Rhein was established in 1955. Düsseldorf's Opernhaus dates back to 1875. It was damaged during the Second World War and reopened after reconstruction in 1956. The company also works in Theater Duisburg and has an associated ballet company. That two-city structure is the key practical point for a visitor: a production credited to Deutsche Oper am Rhein does not by itself tell you where to go. For a Düsseldorf evening, confirm that the performance is at Opernhaus Düsseldorf on Heinrich-Heine-Allee, then allow time to arrive before the curtain. The building's longer history adds context, but the experience depends on the specific opera or ballet on the programme.