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Vienna learned long ago that a thriving arts scene is a boon to tourism, so it lends its support to everything from grand opera to intimate cabaret performances. As a result, artists from around the world have also settled in the city. That’s why in addition to waltzes you can enjoy such varied fare as Greek rembetiko and Turkish Sufi music. Anyone who knows a bit of German should attend a performance at such major theaters as the Burgtheater and the Theater in der Josefstadt. Ever since Tanzquartier took up residence in the MuseumsQuartier, aficionados of contemporary dance have been able to enjoy avant-garde performances.
What would La Traviata be like with two soloists and a piano? Or how about a Tosca where you can join in the chorus? Stefan Fleischhacker's Letztes Erfreuliches Operntheater (otherwise known as the Last Enjoyable Opera Theater, or L.E.O. for short) offers marvelously funny and entertaining performances of grand operas that are appropriate for audiences of all ages (and much shorter than their originals). For a small donation, bread and wine are also available.
Lesser-known and alternative operas and operettas are performed at the Kammeroper, the smallest and most intimate of Vienna's opera houses, to sold-out crowds under the artistic direction of Carolin Wielpuetz.
This beautiful Rococo-style historic theater located in Mariahilf is more than 200 years old. It was used and abused for decades as a contemporary musical venue, but now the building—which is closely linked to Beethoven, who lived here—has renewed its role as an opera house, attracting an international crowd. It's open year-round, and hosts a premiere nearly every month. The selection of works performed here is tremendous, including Janáček, Prokofiev, Britten, Handel, Monteverdi, Rossini, and Bach.
One of the world's great opera houses, the Staatsoper has been the scene of countless musical triumphs and a center of unending controversy over how it should be run and by whom. A performance takes place virtually every night from September to June, drawing on the vast repertoire of the house, with an emphasis on Mozart, Verdi, and Wagner. Guided tours are given year-round.
Opera, operetta, and ballet are performed at the Volksoper, just on the outer edge of the Innere Stadt at Währinger Strasse and Währinger Gürtel. Prices here are significantly lower than at the Staatsoper, and performances can be every bit as rewarding. This theater has a packed calendar, with offerings ranging from the grandest opera, such as Mozart's Don Giovanni; to an array of Viennese operettas, including Johann Strauss's Die Fledermaus; to Broadway musicals. Most operas and musicals are sung in German.
