Vienna State Opera

Vienna State Opera

Former names	Vienna Court Opera (Wiener Hofoper)
Location	Vienna, Austria
Coordinates	48°12′10″N 16°22′06.5″E / 48.20278°N 16.368472°E / 48.20278; 16.368472
Public transit	Karlsplatz, 1 2 D 62 71 Opernring, Bus 59A
Owner	City of Vienna
Type	Opera house
Capacity	1,709 seated, 567 standing
Construction
Opened	25 May 1869
Architect	August Sicard von Sicardsburg Eduard van der Nüll
Builder	Josef Hlávka
Website
wiener-staatsoper.at

The Vienna State Opera (German: Wiener Staatsoper, IPA: [ˈviːnɐ ˈʃtaːtsˌʔoːpɐ]) is a historic opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll, and designs by Josef Hlávka. The opera house was inaugurated as the "Vienna Court Opera" (Wiener Hofoper) in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. It became known by its current name after the establishment of the First Austrian Republic in 1921. The Vienna State Opera is the successor of the old Vienna Court Opera^[1] (built in 1636 inside the Hofburg). The new site was chosen and the construction paid by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1861.^[2]

The members of the Vienna Philharmonic are recruited from the Vienna State Opera's orchestra. The building is also the home of the Vienna State Ballet, and it hosts the annual Vienna Opera Ball during the carnival season.