Vienna State Opera: New season promises entirely barrier -free opera pearls!

Vienna State Opera: New season promises entirely barrier -free opera pearls!

Vienna, Österreich - On April 12, 2025, Bogdan Roščić, director of the State Opera, presented the new schedule by June 30, 2026. Five premiere will be planned in the coming season, including an innovative “Opera Air” concert, which will take place on September 7th in the Burggarten. The event is not only free, but is also broadcast live by ORF III and Arte. The prominent artists who perform are crowd favorites such as Elīna Garnča, Jonas Kaufmann, Benjamin Bernheim and Sonya Yoncheva. This event should contribute particularly to increase the accessibility of the opera, a concern that strongly emphasizes Roščić.

Another highlight of the season is the German premiere of "Die Sauge Broß" by Bedřich Smetana on September 28th. Director Dirk Schmeding makes his debut at the house. In December, the “Fidelio” performance previously staged by Otto Schenk will be replaced by a new interpretation by Nikolaus Habjan. In addition, Verdi's "Luisa Miller" will be performed on February 7, 2026 under the musical direction of Michele Mariotti.

planned works and actors

For the season, the last opera of Mozart, "Clemenza di Tito", as well as Georges Bizets "Les Pêcheurs de Perles" are planned, which is listed for the first time on the ring and is directed by Ersan Mondtag. Nina Stemme will debut in the role of the Klytämnestra in "Elektra", while Anna Netrebko will also be seen in "Tosca" and "Nabucco". Jonas Kaufmann, who appears as an iron stone in "The Bat" for the first time, will also attract a large audience.

The ballet division will shine with two premieres under the new direction of Alessandra Ferri: "Kallirhoe" in October and "Visionary Dances" in March 2026. In addition, the Volksoper announces two further premieres: "Marie Antoinette" in December and "American Signatures" in May 2026.

accessibility and access

The State Opera has not only developed artistically, but also in the area of ​​accessibility. Access to the building takes place via Herbert-von-Karajan-Platz, and the swing door is 87 cm wide. An inclined elevator in the opera foyer facilitates access to the parquet, while a lift is available to the gallery, which has a width of 95 cm and a depth of 140 cm. Further disabled parking spaces are available in the area, and access from the "Best in Parking Kärntnerstraße underground car park" is open one hour before the start of the event.

The State Opera generates remarkable figures in the current season: Up to and including March, the utilization is an impressive 99.79 percent and sales are 42.7 million euros. These figures illustrate the high priority of the State Opera in the Viennese cultural scene.

Finally, Roščić expresses his concerns about possible budget savings and its effects on the opera. In this context, the planning for the new location Nest, which is dedicated to the children's and youth theater, is worth mentioning. The schedule of this new location will be presented on May 26th.

For more information on the planned events and accessibility, please visit Vienna , orf and the Wiener Staatsoper .