The work deals with the significance of Shakespeare for the history and repertoire of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, including the question of how the changing image of Shakespeare during the Nazi era affected the performance of Shakespearean operas. The librettos of commissioned compositions such as Lear (Reimann), Venus and Adonis (Henze), and Twelfth Night (Trojahn) are compared with their literary sources in terms of textual and dramaturgical changes. The Munich premieres of the operas by Nicolai, Goetz, Verdi, and Holenia are examined regarding the dramaturgical modifications made in relation to the original plays. It becomes evident that the State Opera has consistently fostered a special connection between literature and music through both the premieres of Shakespearean operas and the staging of commissioned compositions, enriching the engagement of theater and literary studies with the genres of drama and opera, along with their similarities and differences.