The history of Barroco na Bahia started when His Eminence Dom Lucas Moreira Neves invited Hans Bonisch to prepare the Barroco na Bahia project. In 1991, Hans Bonisch founded in Germany the Barroco na Bahia project.  It was Formed  by a Christian group with the objective of revitalizing sacred classical music in Salvador, Brazil, as Dom Lucas Moreira Neves had asked.  Between 1995 and 1996 Hans Bonisch, with the German Government and the Schloss Raesfeld European Center, completed restoration of the old residence of  Dr. Ernesto Filho, which is today the center of the Barroco na Bahia project. Since 1997 the Barroco na Bahia project has been working together with a Brazilian university, UNIFACS, in the productions of operas.

Production of an opera was completed, the opera produced was “Fidelio” by Ludwig van Beethoveen; in 1998, it was “The Magic Flute” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; “Hansel and Gretel” by Engelbert Humperdinck was performed in 1999, and in 2000 “The Abduction from the Seraglio” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  In 2001 "Die Freischütz" by Carl Maria von Weber; in 2002, "Parsifal" by Richard Wagner; in 2003, "The Magic Flute" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a new production; in 2004, "The Bat" by Johann Strauss and in 2005, a new production of "Die Freischütz" by Carl Maria von Weber. All performances were held at the Castro Alves Theater in Salvador.