Start of the renovation of the Theater an der Wien
The Theater an der Wien of Vereinigte Bühnen Wien (VBW) - a company of Wien Holding - is one of the most beautiful and traditional stages in the city. Since 2006, it has been an innovative stagione opera house with international appeal. No sooner has the curtain gone down on the last opera production Jenůfa by Leoš Janáček in front of a sold-out audience than the starting signal is given for the urgently needed renovation and modernisation of the historic theatre.
The costs for the general renovation and modernisation of the Theater an der Wien are estimated at a total of 60.05 million euros, which will be raised jointly by the City of Vienna, Wien Holding and Vereinigte Bühnen Wien. Of this amount, 39 million euros come directly from the municipal budget of the City of Vienna. In addition, Wien Holding is granting Vereinigte Bühnen Wien a loan of 21.05 million euros for this project.
The ARGE L-Bau-Engineering and Riepl Kaufmann Bammer Architektur are responsible for the planning and execution of the building project. In the course of an award procedure for the general planning services, it was identified as the best bidder in consultation with the client.
"We are proud and privileged that VBW is allowed to operate the Theater an der Wien as an essential cultural monument of the City of Vienna. It is of great concern to us to preserve the unique history and charisma of the house and to optimise it for future theatre experiences. We thank the representatives of the City of Vienna and Wien Holding for allowing us to assume our responsibility for this cultural heritage," says Franz Patay, Managing Director of Vereinigte Bühnen Wien.
The planned general renovation of the historically important theatre building and oldest opera house in the city will take around two years. In March 2022, the theatre will close for two seasons. Star director Stefan Herheim will take up his artistic directorship in Halle E in the MuseumsQuartier in autumn 2022. The reopening of the theatre in its new splendour is planned for autumn 2024.
"Schikaneder, Beethoven, Offenbach, Nestroy, Strauß, Lehár and Marie Geistinger are just a few of the great minds who have worked at the Theater an der Wien and still sit within the old walls of this former Viennese suburban theatre. The preservation of this cultural monument is thus an investment in values on which the liberal arts and the art of freedom are based. As the designated artistic director of the Theater an der Wien, I am eager to artistically unite the past and the future in the present in such a way that there is no doubt about the importance of the theatre's renovation," says Stefan Herheim, designated artistic director of the Theater an der Wien.
For more information (in German language) and pictures on the renovation of the Theater an der Wien, please visit theater-wien.at/refurbishment.