Viennas oldest and younges operahouse

Das Theater an der Wien

Built in 1801 in the spirit of Mozart by his librettist Emanuel Schikaneder, the Theater an der Wien experienced a series of historic premieres and unforgettable stage performances. In 1805, Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio, premiered. In 1818, Ferdinand Raimund appeared here for the first time – in 1827, his magical play Moisasurs Zauberfluch premiered, before Johann Nestroy dominated the next 20 years with premieres of works such as Lumpazivagabundus, Der Talisman, or Einen Jux will er sich machen. Both were honored with a lasting memorial on the Iron Curtain alongside Die Zauberflöte.  

With the takeover of the theater by Friedrich Stampfer and the appointment of Marie Geistinger to the Theater an der Wien in 1862, the triumph of operetta began. Premieres such as Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus (1874) and Der Zigeunerbaron (1885), Carl Zeller's Der Vogelhändler (1891), or Carl Millöcker's Der Bettelstudent (1882) marked the "Golden Age of Viennese Operetta".

In 1900, the Biedermeier-style front house ("at Laimgruben 26") was replaced by a residential building in the style of the turn of the century. Later, this building housed the cabaret "Die Hölle" in the basement. 

With Franz Lehár's Die Lustige Witwe in 1905, a successful second, the "Silver Era of the Viennese Operetta," began. The theater's special style at the Theater an der Wien, offering fine entertainment with artistic dedication, was practiced by the directors Wilhelm Karczag and his son-in-law Hubert Marischka for almost forty years. 

After the war, the Theater an der Wien served as a temporary venue for the Vienna State Opera before, following careful renovation, it became a venue for the Vienna Festival Weeks.

From 1965, the Theater an der Wien served as a venue for German-language versions of successful Broadway musicals. In 1983, CATS marked the beginning of Peter Weck's directorship and achieved its legendary success that continues to this day. In the 1990s, world premieres such as ELISABETH or MOZART! followed, and it was not until 2005 that the musical era at the Theater an der Wien ended.

On the occasion of the celebrations for Mozart's 250th birthday, the Theater an der Wien was reopened in 2006 as the city's new opera house, distinguished by its innovative positioning as the only stagione opera house in the German-speaking world. With its programming as a center for baroque opera up to modern, contemporary musical theater, it illuminates over 400 years of European musical life.

To preserve the unique history and aura of the Theater an der Wien, the historic building underwent extensive general renovation starting in March 2022. The ceremonial reopening of the house took place on October 12, 2024.