Ladies and Gentlemen,

“Happy are they who forget what can’t be altered”, runs a line in what is probably the most Viennese of operettas. When Die Fledermaus came into the world and the spotlight 151 years ago at the Theater an der Wien, this maxim almost immediately became the motto of a crisis-hit society that sought refuge in the gaiety of the waltz. Today, if “nothing can be altered” the consequences may be apocalyptic. As fear of impending disaster grows, so does a longing to forget. This makes us masters of the art of denial. Those who indulge in the pure cynicism of populists are hardly likely to achieve the reconciliatory certainty contained in the words of thinker and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Albert Schweitzer: “Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it”.

Most of the works chosen for the coming season at the MusikTheater an der Wien end well. Happy endings are as typical of comedies as their dance on a volcano and laughter on the edge of the abyss. Comedies ridicule rulers, mock middle-class hypocrisy, expose exaggerated piety and undermine traditional gender roles. No one is safe from the liberating humour of the fool – the opera included.

Even though there is a tragedy lurking behind every overt comedy, we do of course also intend to entertain and stimulate you with serious musical drama and are again casting the operatic net wide to include many masterpieces from various periods: from the early Baroque to the Classical, Romantic and Modern, right up to the contemporary. Every production gathers high-profile, passionate singing stars and promising young artists, pairing them with outstanding instrumental ensembles and prominent orchestras, and all team up with the foremost conductors and directors of our time.

I am confident that this wide-ranging programme of works from five centuries of opera can ease the pressure that has built up in these crisis-torn days and will spread the kind of happiness that gives meaning. On behalf of all my colleagues and our partners, I bid you a warm welcome to the MusikTheater an der Wien.

Stefan Herheim

Artistic Director

MusikTheater an der Wien