MusikTheater an der Wien

Music theater and opera from the early Baroque to the present day – of the highest quality and with a contemporary aesthetic – are the specialty of the MusikTheater an der Wien. As the only opera house in the German-speaking world to operate a stagione system, there are regular premieres, plus concert operas, concerts and new formats.

Vienna is a city of opera and boasts three major opera stages: the MusikTheater an der Wien is just as popular with Viennese audiences as the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Volksoper.

The MusikTheater an der Wien focuses on works with a particular connection to Vienna and the MusikTheater an der Wien, contemporary music theater and baroque compositions.

October 13, 2025: Awarded “Best Opera House” at the 12th International Opera Awards

Anniversary program: 225 years of Theater an der Wien

On June 13, 1801, the newly built Theater an der Wien opened its doors. To mark the historic establishment’s 225th anniversary, MusikTheater an der Wien presents an exciting program for the 2026/27 season that encompasses 400 years of music theater. The theater’s artistic director is Stefan Herheim, one of the most sought-after opera directors of our time.

MusikTheater an der Wien is the only stagione theater in the German-speaking world. The stagione system means, unlike the repertory system, that only a limited number of operas are scheduled each season. These are new productions, presented in longer runs.

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MusikTheater an der Wien, view of the stage behind a caryatid (column in the shape of a human figure) — © Peter M. Mayr

Theater an der Wien auditorium — © Peter M. Mayr

Opera House MusikTheater an der Wien, view from the street — Theater an der Wien, entrance – © Peter M. Mayr

MusikTheater an der Wien at a performance, with audience and musicians on stage — © Peter M. Mayr

Highlights of the 2026/27 season

La Calisto by Francesco Cavalli – an early Baroque opera based on Ovid’s Metamorphoses, interpreted as a cosmic theater of enchantment
The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner – a Romantic opera with Jordan Shanahan and Ambur Braid
The Little Prince by Pierangelo Valtinoni – a lavish family opera based on the tale by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Golden Cockerel by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov – an opera based on the fairy tale by Alexander Pushkin
Leonore by Ludwig van Beethoven – on the occasion of Beethoven’s 200th anniversary of his death: a new production of his only opera Fidelio under the title Leonore, based on the two versions premiered here at the Theater an der Wien.
Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel – the opera with which the composer began his triumphal rise in London in 1711

Complete Program 2026/27

In addition, a rich program featuring concert performances of music theater and concerts in the establishment’s basement theater known as the “Hölle”, workshops and the cultural education program TaWumm! can be enjoyed.

The MusikTheater an der Wien will continue its collaborations with the Arnold Schoenberg Choir, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra.