4 Best Performing Arts Venues in Day Trips from Vienna, Austria

Designed by British architect Terry Pawson and considered Europe's most state-of-the-art opera house, the Landestheater—also known as the Musiktheater am Volksgarten—is the stage for hit musicals, orchestra and choir performances, and a youth theater. The Main Hall seats 1,200 with several smaller halls seating up to 270 each. The remarkable Sound Foyer was created in cooperation with Ars Electronica Future Lab. Visitors to the theater, whether they see a show or not, are welcome to stop in and experience the technological wonder of the sound path.

Three kilometers (2 miles) west of Rust stands the delightful St. Margarethen Quarry, which is used for outdoor opera performances for six weeks during July and August. It's one of the three largest outdoor opera venues in Europe, seating 7,000 nightly. The opera changes annually—previous operas have included Puccini's Turandot and Bizet's Carmen, with a Passion play running every fifth year—and performances also include a dazzling fireworks display. Ticket prices range from around €60 up to more than €150. It's a good idea to bring a seat cushion, if possible, to soften the metal chairs. Bus trips from Vienna and back to see performances can be arranged through several tour agencies, though it's also easily reached by bus from Rust of Eisenstadt. You can buy tickets online or at the ticket office in Eisenstadt. It's also possible to visit the quarry as a part of a €12 guided tour (in German only), held daily in July and August and during weekends in May, June, September and October.

A vast array of concerts and recitals are presented in the noted Brucknerhaus, the modern hall on the south bank of the Danube. Every September it's home to the International Brucknerfest. The venue also hosts some events for Ars Electronica, a festival that explores art, science, and society.

Located at the docks near the Mural Harbor Gallery, the Posthof has been one of the largest venues for contemporary arts in all of Europe for more than 30 years. It's a multidisciplinary arts center, offering live music (of all genres, from reggae to techno), cabaret, dance, theater, literature, and more. Some 220 events are hosted each year throughout the September through June season.