State Opera House

State Opera House

Attraction Introduction

The Vienna State Opera is one of the world's premier grand and magnificent opera houses. It is a major symbol of Vienna, known worldwide as the "City of Music," and is often referred to as the "World Opera Center." First-class composers, conductors, soloists, and dancers perform here. Built in 1869. Originally a royal court theater, it was preceded by a wooden-box theater on the Vienna Burgplatz in the 17th century. In 1869, it moved to a site near the Ringstrasse in the city center. In 1918, the court theater became a state-owned enterprise and was renamed the State Opera House. Hence, it is called the State Opera House—partly because it is a treasured cultural relic of Austria, and partly because it serves as the government’s music department.

During World War II, the Vienna State Opera was bombed, leaving only a few broken walls. It was rebuilt after the war and took ten years of renovation to restore it to its former glory. Its exterior has an antique charm, while the entire stage area is fully modernized with state-of-the-art sound equipment. In November 1955, it reopened with a performance of Beethoven's "Fidelio" to celebrate its rebirth. It is a grand Romanesque building. The foyer and side halls are built with marble and adorned with exquisite murals and portraits of great musicians and famous performers. The auditorium has six tiers and can accommodate over 1,600 seated guests.

Austria, Vienna