The Vienna Opera: the history of the famous theater

The Vienna Opera is one of the most famous and largest opera houses in the world, whose history begins in the middle of the nineteenth century. Located in the center of Vienna, it was originally called the Vienna Court Opera and was renamed in 1920 with the rise of the First Austrian Republic.

The building, built in 1861-1869 in the neo-classical style by the architects Eduard van der Nyull and August Sicard von Sikarsburg, was the first large structure on the Rigenstrasse. Famous artists worked on the decor of the interiors, among them - Moritz von Schwind, painted frescoes in the box on the opera "The Magic Flute" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the foyer - based on works by other composers. The Vienna Opera was inaugurated May 25, 1869 with the creation of Don Giovanni by Mozart. The presentation was attended by Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Emilia Evgenia Elizabeth.

The building of the opera was not initially appreciated by the public. First, it was in front of the magnificent Henryshof mansion (destroyed during the Second World War) and did not produce the proper effect of monumentality. Secondly, the level of the ring road in front of the building was raised by one meter after the beginning of its construction, and it looked like an "empty box".

The Vienna Opera was especially flourishing under the guidance of the outstanding composer and conductor Gustav Mahler. With him grew a new generation of world-famous vocalists, such as Anna von Mildenburg and Selma Curz. Becoming director of the theater in 1897, he changed the outdated scenery, attracted the talent and experience of remarkable artists (among them - Alfred Roller) to form a new aesthetics of the scene, corresponding to the modernist taste. Mahler introduced the practice of dimming lighting on stage during performers' performances. All his reforms were preserved by successors.

During the American bombardment at the end of the Second World War, the building was badly damaged. After much discussion, it was decided to restore it in its original style, and the renovated Vienna Opera was reopened in 1955 by the creation of Ludwig van Beethoven's Fidelio.

Today, the theater is performing modern productions, but they are never experimental. He is closely associated with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which is officially listed as the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Vienna Opera. It is one of the busiest opera houses in the world. Annually 50-60 operas are staged, at least 200 performances are shown. The main repertoire of the Vienna Opera includes some works that are not widely known to the general public, such as "Rose Chevalier" and "Salome" by Richard Strauss.

Tickets for performances are expensive. This is due to the large number of boxes. It should be borne in mind that there is practically no inclination in the stalls, so you can pay from 160 euros for a place somewhere in the eighth row, but not much to see from what is happening on stage. Acoustics are excellent, especially on the upper levels of the building. There are still standing places (more than 500) located directly behind the stalls, but they are only available on the day the performance is shown, while tickets to lodges and stalls go on sale for thirty days before each performance, and they are most easily booked through a website that Owns the Vienna Opera.

The dress code itself is not respected, as more than half of the seats are occupied by tourists, a diverse audience, although it can be noticed that in the boxes people are dressed more elegantly.