Vienna State Opera (German: Wiener Staatsoper), located in Vienna, Austria, is one of the most important opera companies in Europe. Until 1920 it was named the Vienna Court Opera (Hofoper). Vienna (German: Wien [viːn]) is the capital of Austria, and also one of Austrias nine federal states (Bundesland Wien). ... The foyer of Charles Garniers Opéra, Paris, opened 1875 Opera is an art form consisting of a dramatic stage performance set to music. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ...

The company

Gustav Mahler is one of the many illustrious conductors who have worked in Vienna. During his tenure, Mahler cultivated a new generation of singers, such as Anna Bahr-Mildenburg, Selma Kurz and Leo Slezak and recruited a stage designer who replaced the lavish historical stage décors for sparse stage scenery corresponding to modernistic, Jugendstil tastes. Mahler also introduced the practice of dimming the lighting in the theatre during performances, which was initially not appreciate by the audience. However, Mahler's reforms were maintained by his successors. Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (July 7, 1860 – May 18, 1911) was best known in his own time as one of the leading Austrian conductors of his day, but is now remembered as an important composer linking the late 19th century with the modern musical period, particularly for his vast symphonies... Alfons Mucha, lithographed poster, 1898 Art Nouveau (French for New art) is an art and design style that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century. ...

The company is currently headed by Seiji Ozawa. Other conductors at Vienna have included Hans Richter, Felix Weingartner, Richard Strauss, Clemens Krauss, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter, Karl Böhm, Herbert von Karajan, Lorin Maazel, Claudio Abbado, and Riccardo Muti. Seiji Ozawa (born September 1, 1935) is a Japanese conductor. ... Hans Richter was a Dadaist artist, filmmaker and writer. ... Felix (Edler von Münzberg) Weingartner (June 2, 1863 – May 7, 1942) was a conductor, composer and pianist. ... Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864 – September 8, 1949) was a German composer of the late Romantic era, particularly noted for his tone poems and operas. ... Clemens Krauss (born in Wien, March 31, 1893 – buried at Mexico City, May 16, 1954) was an Austrian conductors. ... Wilhelm Furtwängler ( January 25, 1886 – November 30, 1954) was a German conductor and composer. ... Bruno Walter (September 15, 1876 _ February 17, 1962) was a conductor and composer. ... Karl Böhm (August 28, 1894 _ August 14, 1981) was a noted conductor. ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor, one of the most prominent of the postwar period. ... Lorin Varencove Maazel (born March 6, 1930) is a conductor, violinist and composer. ... Claudio Abbado (born June 26, 1933) is a noted Italian conductor. ... Riccardo Muti (born July 28, 1941) is an Italian conductor best known for being the music director of Milans La Scala opera house, a position he has held since 1986. ...

Until the directorship was taken over by von Karajan, Vienna maintained a permanent ensemble. Von Karajan introduced the policy of engaging guest singers.

The Vienna State Opera is closely linked to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which is an incorporated society of its own, but whose members are recruited from the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (in German: Wiener Philharmoniker) is the best known orchestra in Austria and one of Europes major ensembles. ...

The opera house

The original State Opera House, a neo-romantic building severely criticised when it was built, was inaugurated on May 25, 1869 with Mozart's Don Giovanni. (Disambiguation: you may be looking for Neoromanticism (music) or New Romantic (British pop music)) The term neo-romanticism is synonymous with post-Romanticism or late Romanticism. ... May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... 1869 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte. ...

During World War II, the stage was destroyed by Allied bombs and the building gutted by fire on March 12, 1945. The foyer, with frescoes by Moritz von Schwind, the main stairways, the vestibule and the tea room were spared. Almost the entire décor and props for more than 120 operas with around 150,000 costumes were destroyed. The State Opera was temporarily housed at the Theater an der Wien and at the Volksoper. March 12 is the 71st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (72nd in Leap years). ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... ... A XIV Century fresco featuring Saint Sebastian Note: Fresco is the NATO reporting name of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. ... Moritz von Schwind (1804-1871), Austrian painter, was born in Vienna. ... The Theater an der Wien is a historic theater in Vienna. ...

The rebuilt theatre, seating more than 2200, reopened on November 5, 1955 with Beethoven's Fidelio with Karl Böhm conducting. November 5 is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 56 days remaining. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptized December 17, 1770 – March 26, 1827) was a German composer of Classical music, who predominantly lived in Vienna, Austria. ... Fidelio is an opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. ...

For many decades, the opera house has been the venue of the Vienna Opera Ball. The Vienna Opera Ball (Wiener Opernball in German) is an annual Austrian society event which takes place in the building of the Vienna State Opera on the Thursday preceding Ash Wednesday. ...