Vienna under the sign of love: festival weeks celebrate global art diversity

Vienna under the sign of love: festival weeks celebrate global art diversity

Vienna is in the starting blocks for an exciting cultural revolution – the Wiener Festwochen | Free Republic of Vienna 2025. From May 16th to June 22nd, the city will shine under the motto V is for loVe! Over 40 breathtaking theater and music productions from all over the world are offered at more than 155 events, including eleven world premieres and numerous in-house productions. City Councilor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler underlines the explosiveness of the topic of love at a time when hate threatens social bonds. “Love as a unifying force is more important than ever in our society,” she explains. Ticket sales for the festival weeks also start today, including 46,000 tickets offered in advance, including the popular tickets for under 30s for just 15 euros, as well as numerous free events, especially at the opening at Rathausplatz, such as presse.wien.gv.at reported.

A celebration of love and change

The festival weeks not only deal with romantic love, but also shed light on controversial social issues. Productions like Shakespeare's Richard III. directed by Itay Tiran addresses the complex relationship between power and love. With the work "Perzen. Triomf van Empathy" the director Chokri Ben Chikha enters into a dialogue about the Israel-Palestine conflict and the challenges of understanding and empathy. With exciting formats and debates, including the Vienna Congresses, the critical issues of our time are addressed and discussed, including the entanglements of art, power and #MeToo. In addition, the pulsating heart of the festival is the House and Club der Republik in the Funkhaus, where art and the exchange of ideas come together, as well as von festwochen.at is highlighted.

This year's festival promises an impressive interplay of culture and critical reflection, dealing with topics such as self-love, social structures and the power of art. From the huge “Inselliebe” project launched by Thomas Verstraeten to the various debates about the art scene that allow for a wide range of perspectives, Vienna is once again becoming the epicenter for passionate arguments under the sign of love. A cultural celebration dedicated to all facets of love and highlighting different positions in our society!