Smoke development interrupts Carmen presentation at the State Opera!

Smoke development interrupts Carmen presentation at the State Opera!

On June 4, 2025, an unforeseen event occurred during a performance of "Carmen" at the Vienna State Opera when a strong smoke development from one of the cars on stage occurred. This situation immediately led to the interruption of the performance and left both the audience and the technical staff. According to the information from the Vienna State Opera , the cause of the smoke was attributed to a short circuit, which was created by a defective isolation of a cable between the battery and a headlight. This led to a melting of the cabling and smoke development, which not only affected the view of the stage, but also triggered a fire alarm.

The opera house was immediately cleared as a result of the alarm. However, visitors left the hall calmly and without panic, which speaks for the security of the audience and the actors. After a short interruption, the performance could finally be continued again. Those responsible for the State Opera said that there had never been a security risk for the audience.

reaction of the fire brigade

In such situations, quick reactions are crucial. The Ronnenberg fire brigade has in the past emphasized how important preventive measures and well-organized emergency exercises are. The occurrence of smoke through technical defects, as observed at the opera, also illustrates the need to constantly check and improve safety precautions.

The DGUV Information 215-310 provides comprehensive information on security at events and productions. These rules are particularly important for the organizers and the technical staff to minimize risks and ensure the safety of everyone involved. The news from May 2025 includes important updates in order to reflect on the latest state of the art and the applicable regulations. In particular, sections for violence prevention and film and external productions were re-enacted in order to meet the increasing requirements and complexities of the event organization. More on this can be read more on the website of DGUV

The event at the State Opera is another impetus to critically question the security standards in event sites again and to optimize it if necessary. Such incidents are not only important for the direct parties, but also for everyone who is involved in the organization of events. In the future, findings from such situations could help to further increase security at cultural events.