Opened - 25 May, 1869
Capacity - 1709 seated, 567 standing
Architect - The structure of the opera house was planned by the Viennese architect August Sicard von Sicardsburg, while the inside was designed by interior decorator Eduard van der Nüll.
Style - Neo-Renaissance
The building of the Vienna State Opera – an impressive mixture of old
and new – is part of the long history of opera in Vienna would be
unthinkable without this tradition.
The first opera
performances in Vienna, given at the “Burgtheater” (“Court Theatre”)
neat the Hofburg, date back to the early 17th century. In 1709 the
Kärtnertortheater was completed, which was, together with the old
Burgtheater on Michaelerplatz opened in 1742, the most important stage
for opera, ballet and drama performances in Vienna at that time.
Like almost all large buildings in the world, the opera house at the place of nowadays “Staatsoper” was built in the second half of the 19th century. Its architects were Eduard van der Nüll and August von Siccardsburg in the year 1861-1869 under the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I. The “Hofoper” (“Vienna Court Opera”) which was its original name, was inaugurated on May 25 1869 with “Don Giovanni” by Mozart. The architecture of the building was not well received by the Viennese. The way like it was placed among the other buildings of the city, and the proportions were fiercely criticized. Aggrieved over such criticism and by nature very depressive, Eduard von der Nüll committed suicide, while August von Siccardsburg died a few weeks later from a heartattack.
In spring 1944, during the Second World War, the State Opera stopped to perform. The last regular performance was Wagner’s “Götterdämmerung”. A bombing in March 1945, i.e. shortly before the end of the war, destroyed 80% of the building, the rest was severely damaged. The opera house was burning for two days and nights.
In 1948 Erich Boltenstern won the competition for the reconstruction of the Vienna State Opera. His interpretation of the auditorium with its subdued classicism came closest to the original design, but does not ignore modern trends. Reopening of the opera took place on November 5th 1955 with Beethoven’s “Fidelio”, Karl Böhm conducting.