Vienna State Opera
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Staatsopera, the Vienna Opera, began in the early 19th century, and seeing a performance inside this beautiful structure is one of the highlights of any Vienna visit. Designed by architects Eduard van der Nüll and August Sicard von Sicardsburg in the Neo-Renaissance style, the theater was partly destroyed by bombs during World War II and was not completely restored until 1955. It was often criticized for not being “grand enough” to house such a rich tradition.
The historical highlight of the opera house is the Tea Salon, formerly the Emperor’s Salon, located between the staircase and the central boxes. The auditorium accommodates 2,200 seats and standing places. Significant details of the building are the loggia, with its allegories in the arcades, the wall paintings, and the imposing staircase with the statues of the seven free arts, made out of marble.
Performances of opera and ballet are performed every day from September to June. Being one of the busiest opera houses in the world, you’ll find it often stages a different opera each day of the week. The theater is known for its affordable standing-room-only tickets that theater-goers snatch up minutes before a performance.
If you're interested in learning more about the Staatsoper, head over to the Staatsopermuseum, which displays photos, costumes, models of stage sets, and articles spanning the house's history.
History
. He completely transformed the
outdated performance system, increased the precision and timing of the performances, and also utilized the experience of
other noteworthy artists, such as Alfred Roller, for the formation of new stage aesthetics. The years 1938 to 1945 were a dark chapter in the history of the opera house. Under the Nazis, many members of the house were driven out, pursued, and killed, and many works were not allowed to be played. A bomb heavily damaged the building in 1945, the main facade, the grand staircase, and the Schwind Foyerin in the first floor were not damaged. The the auditorium and stage had to be rebuilt from scratch. Today, the Vienna State Opera is considered one of the most important opera houses in the world. It has been under the direction of Dominique Meyer, along with musical director Franz Welser-Möst, since September 2010.
Vienna Opera Ball
The Opera Ball is the social highlight of Vienna's glamour with international guests from the world of culture, business, politics, sports, and science. The Vienna Opera Ball started in 1877 and usually takes place on the last Thursday of the carnival season, from 7 PM to 5 AM. The spectacular opening ceremony features opera and ballet performances, and 160 couples dance the opening number in front of the President of Austria, before the floor is opened to all. The traditional quadrille dancing takes places three times during the evening; at midnight, at 4 AM (Fledermaus quadrille by Johann Strauss), and at 2 AM (Orpheus quadrille by Johann Strauss). The ordinary entrance fee is €250 ($288). Additional table and box tickets for various categories range from €180 ($207) for two people sharing a table on the 6th floor, to €18,500 ($21,000) for double-stage boxes or side-levels boxes.Visiting
The seats for many performances sell out well in advance, an alternative is to buy standing-room tickets, which are well-priced and can be purchased on the same day, but expect long queues. Tickets go on sale about 80-90 minutes before each performance. Be aware, you can only get 1 ticket per person. This means that everyone who wants to see the performance must wait in line.
And bring a scarf - once inside the opera you’re allowed to save your spot in front of a padded handrail by draping a scarf along your chosen patch. Dress code is informal in the standing room, but if you want to walk around the public rooms, you might feel comfortable wearing something more elegant or at least dark-colored.
Getting There
The Staatsoper is located south of Hofburg Palace along the Ringstrasse. Take the Metro (U-Bahn lines) U1, U2, U4 or the 59A bus to
Karlsplatz or Opera station.Do you see any omissions, errors or want to add information to this page? Sign up.
Author: Ayda. Last updated: Sep 23, 2014