Vienna opera house. Vienna State Opera (Austria): history

The Vienna Opera opened its doors in 1869, becoming a source of spiritual food for the aristocracy and high society. The opera drama Don Giovanni was timed to coincide with the opening, since then all art lovers dreamed of visiting the Vienna Opera, and romantic girls prepared for balls in advance, choosing the most beautiful dresses. From the first day of work, the landmark has not changed its address, but it is no longer possible to find out how the building was originally conceived, since during the war years the Austrian capital was badly destroyed, and the opera was completely destroyed.

Interesting to know! At the end of the 20th century, when the building of the Vienna Opera was restored, romantic balls resumed, for some time artists with Russian roots were the soloists in the troupe.

Theater in Vienna - a landmark with a rich history

Theatrical art at the Austrian court in Vienna appeared in the 17th century, theatrical performances were held on various stages. The performances were distinguished by pomp, they were mainly works by Italian authors. Only in the 19th century did the construction of the premises begin, where the troupe would be housed in the future. The authors of the project were architects from Austria - August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll.

Good to know! In the spring of 1869, the doors of the theater were solemnly opened, Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife took part in the event.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Habsburg dynasty was a patron of theatrical art in Vienna, so the theater was called the Court Theater.

During the 19th century, the best works of the authors of ballets and operas, operettas were staged on the stage. In the middle of the 19th century, the troupe settled in a building that for many years had the status of the best theater building in the world. From 1875 to 1897 the chief conductor was Hans Richter, under whose direction such works as Othello, the Ring of the Nibelung, Tristan and Isolde were staged. By the end of the 19th century, public interest in theatrical art increased markedly, and the number of performances increased.

Interesting to know! Under the direction of chief conductor Mahler (1897-1907), the opera in Vienna was recognized as the best European theater.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the landmark in Vienna received the status of a state one, however, the official name "Vienna State Opera" was fixed in 1938.

Furtwängler

During the war, famous conductors from Austria and Germany were engaged in productions: Kraus, Böhm, Furtwängler. Under their guidance, the most famous works of Mozart, Verdi and Beethoven sounded on the stage, and by 1944 the entire repertoire of Strauss was staged.

1945 was a tragic year in the history of sights in Vienna - the building was completely destroyed as a result of an air attack. But even in such a difficult period, the troupe continued to give performances. Restoration work has been actively carried out for ten years. Upon completion of the reconstruction, the theater was opened in the fall of 1955, and the production of Fidelio was timed to coincide with the solemn event. In the same year, the good tradition of an annual ball was restored. Since then, the interest of the audience in the State Opera has not weakened, the hall with a capacity of 2209 people is always full, seats are booked in advance.

Architecture and decoration

The building in Vienna is included in the list of the main attractions of the capital of Austria. Already from the drawings it becomes clear how large-scale and beautiful the project is conceived. The magic and magic of graphics managed to be translated into reality. However, after the completion of construction work, the public expressed violent protests, which the emperor joined in. The facade was called overloaded, heavy, external and internal design - overly eclectic.

The facade is decorated with elements from the work "The Magic Flute", openwork arches, impressive columns. In the evening, the building is beautifully illuminated. The interior of the opera is richly decorated. The guests go up the front stairs. The ceilings of the theater are decorated with paintings, but the attention of guests is attracted not only by the skillful decor, but also by the luxurious chandelier, which is compared to the sun. For the design of the lodges, fabric was used, so a feeling of intimacy is created.

It is necessary to note the excellent acoustics in the hall, comfortable chairs, virtuoso skills and talent of the artists and the orchestra of the Vienna Opera.

Interesting to know! The architecture of the Grand Opera Garnier in Paris influenced the creation of the project. The area of ​​the opera in Vienna is 8560 sq.m. or 78% of the area of ​​the Paris theater. The capacity of the hall is 3000 seats, as in La Scala.

In addition to the annual luxurious ball, the troupe of the State Opera in Austria presents at least 60 productions, concerts are held, as well as solo performances. Premieres appear in the repertoire every year, in the 2017/2018 season they were The Player, Lulu, Samson and Delilah, Danton's Death, Free Shooter.

The ball season in Austria starts in January and lasts until February, so it is not surprising that all the inhabitants of the country have tailcoats and evening dresses. The most prestigious is the ball in the Austrian opera. In terms of significance, it is comparable to an important diplomatic reception, so the president of the country visits it every year.

Facts about the Viennese ball:

• The first event was held at the beginning of the 19th century;
• in the building after reconstruction, the first ball was held at the beginning of winter in 1877;
• the event is traditionally opened by 180 professional pairs of dancers;
• debutants are trusted to perform a polonaise;
• the Viennese waltz is traditionally danced last;
• Mandatory dress code for men is a tailcoat, for women - evening attire.

How to get to the Vienna Ball

First of all, you need to buy the appropriate outfit, learn classical dance, waltz is best, purchase tickets, find a partner who is experienced enough in dancing. It should be noted that places for the event are sold out long before the event, for several months they have not been available either at the box office or on the website. Of course, you can try to turn to resellers, but the cost will be much higher than stated.

Practical information:

• the ticket costs 315€;
• for guests in the box - 23.6 €;
• a table for 6 guests - 1260 €;
• table for 4 persons — 840€;
• the date of the event in 2019 is February 28;
• Detailed information on the official resource: www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/.

How to get there

Any public transport follows the State Opera in Vienna:

• metro - branches U1, U2, U4, point of destination - Karlsplatz station;
• bus number 59A, stop Opernring;
• tram number 1, 2, 62, 65 and D, Opernring stop.

Dress code

For a visit to the Vienna Opera there is a special theatrical dress code. If we are talking about attending a regular performance, there are no special requirements for guests. Of course, it is necessary to show a sense of proportion and not wear a sundress or shorts that are too open. It is enough to choose comfortable everyday clothes. Women often buy evening dresses for a visit to the Vienna Opera. It's not obligatory.

Outerwear must be left in the cloakroom. Spectators who have a ticket to the theater box may not go to the cloakroom, but leave their outerwear in a small hallway. Street shoes are also left in the cloakroom.

Good to know! After the third call, late spectators are not allowed into the hall. During the intermission there is a buffet where snacks and champagne are sold.

Find out the RATES or book any accommodation using this form

Types of tickets and their cost

A visit to the State Opera in Vienna is available not only to residents of the Austrian capital, but to everyone. The main thing is to book seats in advance, this can be done on the official resource two months before the event. Those wishing to attend a particular production are put on a "waiting list".

The cost of a visit to the Vienna Opera is from 10 € to 240 €. Cheap tickets allow the viewer only to hear the artists, but it will not work to see what is happening on the stage. There is a way to visit the Vienna Opera inexpensively. To do this, you need to purchase "standing" tickets, their cost is 2-4 €. They are sold at the box office located on Operngasse Street. Remember that the number of spectators who can watch the performance standing up is limited - about a hundred pieces. The sale starts 1.5 hours before the start of the performance, but it is advisable to take the queue for 4 hours, this will guarantee a visit to the hall of the Vienna Opera.

Booking and buying online

The essence of early booking is as follows - a waiting list is formed on the official resource of the Vienna Opera, when the sale of tickets for the selected performance begins, the audience who was first on the waiting list receives the right to pay for the reservation.

Online purchase algorithm:

• go to the site of attractions in Vienna;
• register;
• when registering, you must specify the e-mail where information will be received, as well as the number of the card from which payment is made.

For those who are planning to visit the State Opera in Vienna for the first time, it can be difficult to find a ticket. First you need to select the date, time, view the names of the productions. Now you can proceed to the selection and purchase of tickets, if you click the "Purchase tickets" button, a hall scheme will appear, where empty seats are indicated, it is enough to navigate by price category.

It's important to know! Prices depend on several criteria: the level of the performance, the actors involved in it, the location of the place relative to the stage.

Be sure to indicate the age category - adult or child. After selecting all the options, you just need to click on the selected location. To pay you need to enter payment details. If the payment is successful, the system will notify you. A reservation is sent to the e-mail specified during registration, it contains all the important information - the date and time of the performance, the audience seat. The document must be printed and carried with you.

On the day of visiting the opera in Vienna, you need to go to the box office, where they exchange electronic documents for valid tickets. If the electronic version has a barcode, it is not necessary to change the document.

Important nuances:

• if you did not take a reservation with you, a ticket will be issued at the box office, for this you need to give your last name;
• the document can be picked up in advance, for this you should contact the box office located in the lobby of the theater, it opens one hour before each performance;
• booking for a child does not require a document, small spectators are given a temporary ticket at the same box office, the child must be with his parents.

Prices for visiting the opera in Vienna

A visit to the opera in Vienna (Austria) cannot be called a cheap pleasure, but despite this, every performance in the hall is always sold out, so tickets must be booked in advance. The cost of seats depends on the category of the performance.

• Category A - productions for true connoisseurs and gourmets, this group includes premieres and performances with the participation of world stars. As you know, art requires sacrifice, so attending a category A production will cost a lot.
• Group B - such performances can be called the "golden mean", since this is the optimal ratio of musical enjoyment and cost.
• Group C is an inexpensive production designed for a wide range of audiences. The price is low, but this does not mean that the quality of the performance is low.

Good to know! The repertoire of the opera in Vienna is more than fifty productions. You can visit the performance for nine months - from September. The main place in the poster is given to the works of Mozart.

Practical information

1. Opera in Vienna: Wiener Staatsoper GmbH, Opernring 2, 1010, Wien.

2. Schedule of the box office: weekdays - from 8-00 to 18-00, weekends - from 9-00 to 12-00.

3. Tours at the Vienna Opera are held every day. The duration of the sightseeing visits is 40 minutes, at which time tourists are invited backstage to inspect the building. Believe me, in terms of the strength of emotions, the excursion is in no way inferior to visiting a theatrical performance, because the theater is an architectural monument of Austria. The exact schedule is presented on the official website, excursions are held daily in Russian.

Ticket price:

• for adults – 4 €,
• for students – 2.5 €,
• for children - 1.5 €.

They can be purchased a quarter of an hour before the excursion program.

Prices on the page are for January 2019.

Vienna Opera for Children

The theater in Vienna implements programs aimed at introducing children to art. For school-age children, there are guided tours, dance master classes, and performances prepared by small actors. Gifted children are invited to a ballet school or a choir. Performances of the Children's Opera are held on the main stage, as well as on the roof.

The Vienna Opera is rightfully considered the custodian of the centuries-old traditions of classical theatrical art, and the theater building has been a symbol of Austria for many decades.

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The pearl of European culture, especially music, is the Vienna State Opera, which is in the top three along with La Scala (Milan) and Covent Garden (London).

The focus of musical geniuses

The current one was the center of development of the musical direction known as the "Viennese classical school", the main representatives of which were Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. Vienna is undoubtedly the most important center of world culture in general, but especially of music. And the embodiment of this statement, like nothing else, is the Vienna State Opera.

Since the middle of the 17th century, the capital of Austria has been the center of opera art, and since the 16th century, the court of the multinational state of the Habsburgs has been located here.

Urgent need for a special building

The Court Opera, which arose here, was originally located in various buildings, for example, in 1748 - in the Burgtheater, from 1763 - in the Kärntnertorteatre. But the need for an opera among the inhabitants was so immeasurable, and the importance attached to it was so great that in the second half of the 19th century, the authorities decided to erect a special building that could permanently house the Court Opera. And in 1861 construction began. The opera house is being built according to the design of the famous Viennese architects Eduard van der Nüll (participated in the construction of the Vienna Arsenal) and August Sicard von Sicardsburg. The work was completed in 1869, and the current Vienna State Opera (until 1819, the year of the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire - the Court Opera) opened with a production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera Don Giovanni.

A symbol of the splendor of the era

The Staatsoper (Die Wiener Staatsoper) was destroyed in 1945 by bombing. It was restored in 1955. A year later, the tradition of holding the famous Vienna Opera Balls was resumed.

In memory of the "Ere Ringstrasse", or the brilliant time of the reign of the Habsburgs, which he himself described as "the era of splendor and splendor", which began from the moment of the wedding of Marie-Louise - the daughter of Emperor Franz I - with Napoleon, which took place in 1810, until the fall of Great Austria Hungarian Empire in 1918. These balls are listed by UNESCO in the list of intangible cultural heritage. The first of these took place on December 11, 1877. The younger brother of the famous Johann Strauss Eduard conducted the orchestra. The most brilliant period of the Habsburg rule dates back to the moment of radical restructuring of the center of Vienna, when in two years the central Ringstrasse was laid, the grand opening of which took place on May 1, 1865, and then the huge Staatsoper building was built.

Building parameters

The Vienna State Opera, whose history was resumed after a ten-year break and a long restoration on May 11, 1955, began its new creative life with a production of Beethoven's opera Fidelio. Herbert von Karajan became the artistic director of the theater. The height of the restored building, made in the Neo-Renaissance style, is 65 meters, the hall is designed for 1709 seats. All the above data indicate that the Staatsoper is the largest opera house in Austria.

Main attraction

It is difficult to overestimate its significance for the inhabitants of Vienna - they are even sure that you can feel the real spirit of Vienna only by visiting the opera house. Everything has been done for this - for people who do not like this type of art, there are daily 45-minute excursions to the opera house, they start at 13-00, ticket prices vary from 2 to 5 euros.

Tourists are offered a tapestry foyer and a grand staircase, a tea room of Emperor Franz Joseph and a marble hall. Of course, visitors look around the huge magnificent auditorium and the hall of G. Mahler and the foyer of Moritz von Schwind.

most famous director

The names of composers are associated with Vienna, not only those mentioned above. The names of Schubert and Brahms, Gluck and Mahler, as well as the musical dynasty of Strauss are inseparable from this city. Many musical geniuses of the past and present were related to the Vienna Opera. I would especially like to mention Gustav Mahler, who for 10 years (1898-1908) was the director of the Staatsoper and, devoting himself entirely to work in this field, was forced to forget that he was also a brilliant composer and a talented singer. It was during the period of his directorship that Tchaikovsky's operas The Queen of Spades, Iolanta and Eugene Onegin were first staged on the famous stage.

In addition to him, during the existence of the Vienna Opera, its directors were Bruno Walter and Clement Kraus and Wilhelm Furtwängler, Karl Böhm and Lorin Matzel. The Vienna State Opera, along with the building of the Austrian Parliament and monuments to Mozart and Strauss, is one of the main attractions of the capital of this state.

External and internal decoration

What does this great building look like? Five bronze statues stand out on the richly decorated facade, personifying the muses patronizing the art of opera - these are Heroism and Love, Drama, Comedy and Fantasy. The author of these five sculptures is Ernst Henel.

The magnificent sculptures of the Muses are clearly visible from the windows of the Moritz Schwind foyer on the second floor. On the walls of this front foyer, fragments of the famous Singspiel opera (musical and dramatic genre, or “play with singing”) by Mozart “The Magic Flute” are imprinted.

The sad pages of the construction of the opera building

The subject of admiration for the inhabitants and guests of the Austrian capital - the Vienna State Opera (photo of the building is attached) in the second half of the 19th century was subjected to such harsh criticism, including from the Kaiser, that one of the authors of the project, the architect Vann der Noll, could not stand it, hanged himself.

And two months later, another co-author of the project, August Sikkardsburg, also died of a heart attack. It seems that this was not criticism, but harassment. The massive building, which at first offended the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe city's inhabitants about the "elegant" excess of stucco and sculptures, is the Vienna State Opera, the history of which was marked by such tragic events.

Great Contributors

But the acoustic properties of the building were originally magnificent and perfect! The interior of the opera is admirable. The foyer on the second floor is decorated with paintings by the artist Moritz von Schwind. The author of the sculptures framing the famous one is Josef Gasser. There are seven of them, all of them are allegories of fine arts. On the topmost platform there are beautiful frescoes created by Johann Preleitner.

Brilliantly selected repertoire

Of course, both then and now, the Vienna State Opera is a global phenomenon. Its repertoire includes more than 50 productions, which allows the famous theater to carry out daily productions throughout the season, which lasts 10 months a year. It should be noted that the repertoire is very diverse, there are also modern productions, but the Staatsoper is the keeper of the traditions of the Vienna School of Music - the classics are always present (for example, in February this year there were performances of Massenet's Manon and Rossini's The Barber of Seville), and his Mozart's operatic masterpieces are the calling card. Comprehensive data on the repertoire, with detailed daily placement of performances for all 10 months, with indications of performers and conductors, are widely available.

Ticket price and address

Ticket prices vary from 11 to 240 euros. However, there are lodges where seats are valued in the thousands of euros. Standing places are offered for any performance (there are more than 100 of them), tickets for which are sold an hour before the performance, and they cost from 2.5 euros. To attend a performance of the legendary Vienna Opera, but not pay big money for an entrance ticket, you can take advantage of listening to productions of category "B" (everyday performances with sparing prices). The Vienna State Opera, whose address (Opernring, 2) is known to every musician in the world, is located in the center, and you can get to it both by metro (lines U1, U2, U3, Karlsplatz stop), trams (No. 1, 2, 62, 65 and D) and bus 59A.

In a 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 establishment of the First Austrian Republic.

The building, built between 1861 and 1869 in neoclassical style by the architects Eduard Nüll and August Sicard von Sicardsburg, was the first major building on the Rigenstraße. Famous artists worked on the interior decor, among them Moritz von Schwind, who painted the frescoes in the box based on the opera The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the foyer based on the works of other composers. The Vienna Opera was solemnly opened on May 25, 1869 with the creation of Mozart's Don Giovanni. The performance was attended by Emperor I and Empress Amalia Eugenia Elizaveta.

The opera building was initially not highly appreciated by the public. Firstly, it was located opposite the magnificent Heinrichshof 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 start of its construction, and it looked like a “settled box”.

The Vienna Opera reached its peak under the guidance of the outstanding composer and conductor Gustav Mahler. Under him, a new generation of world-famous vocalists grew up, 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 stage, corresponding to modernist taste. Mahler introduced the practice of dimming stage lighting during performances. All his reforms were preserved by his successors.

During the American bombing at the end of World War II, the building was badly damaged. After much discussion, it was decided to restore it in the original style, and the refurbished Vienna Opera was reopened in 1955 with Ludwig van Beethoven's Fidelio.

Today, modern productions are carried out in the theater, but they are never experimental. He is closely associated with which is officially listed as the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Vienna Opera. This is one of the busiest opera houses in the world. Every year 50-60 operas are staged, at least 200 performances are shown. The main repertoire of the Vienna Opera includes some works little known to the general public, such as Richard Strauss's The Rosenkavalier and Salome.

Tickets for performances are expensive. This is due to the large number of lodges. It should be taken into account that there is practically no slope in the stalls, so you can pay from 160 euros for a seat somewhere in the eighth row, but you can hardly see what is happening on the stage. The 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 of the performance, while tickets for the boxes and stalls go on sale thirty days before each performance, and the easiest way to order them is through the site, which owned by the Vienna Opera.

The dress code as such is not observed, since more than half of the seats are occupied by tourists, a diverse audience, although you can see that people are dressed more elegantly in the boxes.

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10 things to do in Vienna

The Vienna Opera House is recognized as the musical center of Europe. Such outstanding musicians as Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schubert and many others worked in this city.

Mozart's Don Giovanni was the first piece staged at the Vienna Opera.
Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph spoke so unflatteringly about the interior and exterior decoration of the building that he brought the designer to a heart attack, and the architect to suicide. Meanwhile, the theater has unsurpassed acoustic properties.
Modern residents of Vienna treat the opera building much more reverently. The theater is considered by many to be one of the most majestic buildings in Austria. The interior decoration is striking in spaciousness and luxury.

The facade of the opera is decorated with five muses patronizing the Vienna Opera: Love, Heroism, Comedy, Fantasy and Drama.
The theater has a seating capacity of 1,709, plus standing and disabled spaces. On the back of each chair there are small screens with real-time translation of the libretto.

More than 120 performances are held on the square in front of the theater every year. All of them are completely free to the public.
The theater hosts guided tours lasting less than an hour, allowing you to look behind the scenes.
Balls are traditionally held in the theater every winter.

How to get there

The theater building is located at Opernring, 2. The nearest metro station is Karlsplatz.

Trams No. 1 and No. 2 run to the Vienna Opera. Buses No. 25, 26, 36, 38, as well as L, 59A and 360.

It is convenient to get here by car. An opera ticket entitles you to leave your car in the underground parking of the Ringstrassengalerien shopping center for 8 hours for only 7 euros. To do this, the parking ticket will need to be validated in a special machine in the theater lobby.

Tickets to the Vienna Opera

Tickets can be bought online or at the box office at Kertnerstrasse 40.

Tickets start selling 30 days before the performance, and the average price fluctuates around 140-200 euros. The cost of a box can exceed 2000 euros.

Vienna Opera poster

The repertoire of the theater includes more than fifty productions. The season lasts 10 months and performances are given daily. These are mainly classical works by Austrian and foreign composers, but there are also modern productions.

Mozart's operas are considered to be the visiting card of the Vienna Opera House, since it is with the work of this composer that the creative history of the building begins.

The schedule of productions can be found on the official website of the Vienna Opera.

Things to do here 1

№7 Anna Tet

Dance the waltz at the same ball with the President of Austria and celebrities from all over the world.

The Vienna State Opera, along with La Scala in Milan, the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow and the Grand Opera in Paris, is among the most famous, to some extent even legendary, opera houses in the world. Originally opened as a court opera, the theater adhered to the strict canons of classical Viennese art. He observes them even today, but we would like to tell you not so much about the excellent repertoire of this institution, but about the curious facts associated with it.

1. The longest applause at the Vienna State Opera lasted over 70 minutes. In 1991, after the end of Othello, the audience awarded Placido Domingo with such a long applause. In gratitude for the storm of applause, he bowed to the audience more than a hundred times.
2. The Vienna State Opera and the Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest are similar, if not like two drops of water, then still very noticeable. They were opened with a difference of 15 years and built by different architects, but apparently, the Hungarian architect with the funny surname Ybl imitated his Viennese colleagues.
3. The Vienna Opera has not escaped embarrassment and curiosities. So, during a performance, one very famous opera diva's wig caught fire due to a spotlight. Her partner, who, according to the script, was already lying "dead", jumped up and began to help put out the inflamed curls. The opera singer, apparently suspecting that her partner had forgotten her role, rushed around the stage, trying to escape from him. In the end, already backstage, the flame on the wig was extinguished. But the audience had plenty of fun.
4. The Opera House, which today is admired, after opening in 1869, became the subject of fierce attacks and scathing ridicule. This was largely due to the reduced space for displaying toilets: only three steps separate the entrance to the opera from the busy street along which tram tracks pass, and the main staircase is only inside the building. The architects August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll were accused of bad taste. The Kaiser also spoke unflatteringly. Unable to bear such dishonor, Van der Nul hanged himself. Two months later, his colleague died of a heart attack. According to the legend, after that, Emperor Franz Joseph expressed his opinion on art issues more positively, using the same phrase that became a catchphrase: “It was beautiful and made me very happy ...”
5. During the bombing of Vienna in 1945, the building of the opera house was completely destroyed, and after the war it was actually recreated anew. In 1955, after a lengthy restoration, the Vienna Opera opened with a performance of Beethoven's opera Fidelio. On the site of the Imperial Hall and the Smoking Room destroyed by the war, the Marble Hall was created - a buffet, a room for relaxation during the intermission, a place where everyone is equal - both ticket holders for standing places and the lucky ones who booked boxes.
6. Ballet performances are not particularly appreciated within the walls of the Vienna Opera. Perhaps the only exception in the repertoire is the popular ballet Swan Lake. Just think, it has been staged at the Vienna Opera since 1964! During the premiere, the audience tirelessly applauded Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fontaine. Residents and guests of the Austrian capital were captivated by the talent of two of the brightest stars of ballet art.
7. By tradition, all parts are performed by soloists without microphones and only in the original language. But on special screens built into the backs of chairs and handrails of standing places, texts of simultaneous translation are displayed during the performance.
8. The Vienna Opera Ball, status and grandiose, traditionally takes place at the Vienna Opera in February. It is considered the apotheosis of the ballroom season and gathers celebrities from all over the world. At the time of the ball, for one night only, the interior of the theater is transformed. All chairs are removed from the auditorium, the floor is raised to the level of the stage and covered with special parquet. The huge hall is decorated with compositions of thousands of fresh flowers. By tradition, the President of Austria opens the ball, after which the young debutants dance a polonaise. Ticket price from 250 euros, box rental - more than 10 thousand euros. Guests are served not only by waiters, there is even a shoemaker and a tailor. They are called upon to take care (if God forbid this happens) of lost heels, broken ladies' stilettos, torn tailcoats and dresses. The Opera Ball is such an important event that it is broadcast live in Austria, and recorded in more than 50 countries around the world.
9. If you pass by the Vienna Opera at least once, you will certainly see, and maybe even enter into a conversation with people in red coats and white wigs a la Mozart. Costumed "Mozarts" - legal ticket sellers, but what do they not offer tourists! Be careful: instead of tickets to the Vienna Opera, they can easily sell anything, even tickets to an amateur concert! In fairness, it should be noted that the probability of buying the “right” ticket from them still exists. You can order tickets to the Vienna Opera, without fear for their authenticity and reliability, on the website