Vienna State Opera House
The Staatsoper, the Vienna State Opera House counts to the largest and most splendid theaters, a monument in the name of the Austrian obsession with music, which goes back in Habsburg history. Many prominent composers, conductors, international dancers and soloists have performed here. The Austrian Republic ensures that full use is made of this famous opera house, so a different opera or ballet stands on the program on 300 evenings in the year.
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The vast Vienna Opera House features a clearly defined structure, in the French Early Renaissance style. The construction started in 1861 and the Opera was inaugurated in 1869 with Mozart's "Don Giovanni Neither of the two architects, van der Null and Siccardsburg lived to see the day. The criticisms and jibes of the locals during construction drove van der Null to suicide, while Siccardsburg died soon after, from a heart attack. The Vienna Opera House was hit by bombs in 1945 and ravished by fire. The reconstruction was completed in 1955. Beethoven's "Fidelio" inaugurated the Opera House for the second time. The building can accommodate an audience of 2.211, with 110 musicians. The Vienna Philharmonic has been the resident orchestra since 1842.
The building itself is beautiful, with a central volume flanked by two massive wings, the main facade with its two story foyer decorated with statues, opening onto the Ringstrasse. The windows are adorned with round arches and medallions.
Inside, a grand staircase reaches up to the first floor. Immediately opposite lies the "Schwind Foyer" which takes its name from the frescoes by Martin Schwind of opera scenes. The concert hall features a grand tripartite stage, 45 meter high.
The foyer, the staircase and the tea room with its valuable tapestries were the only parts left undamaged after the fire in 1945, thus keeping their original design in the historicist and New Renaissance style.
