Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera (Wiener StaatsOper) is one of the busiest opera houses in the world as well as one of the top tourists attractions. It produces about 50 to 60 opera productions per year and a different opera is performed almost every day of the week. Guided tours are available as well for all who are not particularly fans of opera but are interested in the building and its architecture.
The Vienna State Opera situated in the very city center of Vienna not far from the Hofburg Imperial Palace was built between 1863 and 1869 according to the plans of architects August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll. The opening premiere of the building originally called the Vienna Court Opera (Wiener Hofoper) was Don Giovanni by Mozart which was also attended by Emperor Franz Joseph I and his wife Empress Elizabeth (Sissi). Today, the Vienna State Opera is one of the most important country’s landmarks and one of the most famous opera houses in the world but when completed in mid-19th century it was not well received by the public because it was not as glamorous as the Heinrichshof that was destroyed during the World War II and because the level of Ringstraße was raised one meter in front of the opera house after its construction has started. Architect van der Nüll committed suicide, while Sicard von Sicardsburg suffered a heart attack ten weeks later and therefore non of both architects saw the building’s completion.
Much of the Vienna State Opera was destroyed during World War II but the front section which was removed as precaution measure remained undamaged. The building was reconstructed after the World War II. Eric Boltenstern who won the architectural competition made some alternations of the original design. The State Opera was housed at the Theater an der Wien until the opera building was finally reopened in 1955.
The Vienna State Opera is closely connected to the Vienna Philharmonic whose members are recruited from the orchestra of the State Opera. The opera house is also famous as the venue of the famous Vienna Opera Ball, one of the highlights of the city’s carnival season that takes place every year on the Thursday preceding Ash Wednesday.