Vienna State Opera

The State Opera was the first major public building planned for the new Ringstrasse. It opened in 1869 with Mozart's Don Giovanni. Vienna mocked it before it was finished because changes to the street level left the building looking low. One critic compared it to a sinking elephant.

The front on Opernring is part of the original building. The auditorium and stage were rebuilt after wartime bombing, and the opera reopened in 1955. The original front is easiest to see from across Opernring. To see the ceremonial rooms and backstage areas, book a daytime tour or attend a performance.