Vienna Opera hits 99.26% seasonal capacity
mainThe numbers don’t lie.
For opera only, across the entire season, Vienna has hardly any unsold seats.
That must be why the government is bringing in a new Staatsoper chief.
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a sister theatre for the Mariinsky 😉
The Vienna Opera was ALWAYS nearly sold out. At least since the reopening in 1955. Nothing new. BUT since mid of the 1990s they do not count the standing rooms any more – 600 from 2300. That means: the Ceaucescu figures which Meyer publishes every year are only the seats – and even these numbers are …. a fakes. Because everybody in Vienna knows: if you would take the figure of how much the box office SHOULD have made an evening and how much it was really in they would have to publish other numbers. There are still going enough people in the opera in Vienna – but these figures are ridicolous and beside this: most people here are relieved that Meyer is soon history.
Who are “most people”?
M Meyer’s contract ends in 2020. He likes to make out he was somehow robbed of his job but the Vienna State Opera is not a hereditary monarchy, and appointing a new general manager after ten years is hardly a crime.
The music culture in Vienna is, in my opinion, still one of the strongest and most devout in the world. Nearly every night they have multiple events taking place, and one would be lucky to gain admittance to one of these; be it Hilary Hahn at the Konzerthaus or Adam Fischer conducting Don Giovanni at the Staatsoper. That same night the Musikverein had MULTIPLE concerts – with the Wiener Symphoniker performing Beethoven and Brahms. All sold out. All this on a Thursday night too – not even the alleged “week highlights.” Simply incredible and inspiring.
The Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst likewise is an impressive and prestigious academy, I feel criminally underrated when the US posts a “comprehensive list of the best conservatories in the world.” When an academy (founded by Salieri) boasts alumni like Karajan, Kreisler, Uchida, Mahler, Abbado, Schwartzkopf, Garifullina, well, that speaks for itself! Without a doubt, this is the music capital I want to live in – this city is simply embroidered in it.
Vienna remains one of (if not THE) finest strongholds of our music 🙂
Oh wow, putting Garifullina in one sentence with Karajan, Kreisler, Uchida, Mahler, Abbado, Schwartzkopf…speaks more for you than anything else.
I agree with what you are implying – those names are some of the greatest ever, and most cannot compare, nor am I comparing. My mention of Garifullina is geared towards “modern relevancy”, and she is undoubtedly making a name for herself in Vienna and around the world.
Absolutely agree with your sentiment though my friend, those mentioned names are hallowed. 🙂
Absolutely agree and this is the reason I’ve lived there (from Australia) in two separate stints myself; one year in 2011 and 2 months in 2015 and again, hopefully, another 3 months in 2018. It is very difficult to get tickets to the Musikverein, despite the 55 Euro joining fee. Even at 9am when the ‘box office’ opens on computer you still only get left-over seats; same at the Konzerthaus. The Staatsoper is another venue where good tickets can be problematic. All expensive. I don’t care:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5ZOtcAXWc4
Thank you for the lovely thought!!! <3