Wiener Staatsoper

We couldn't fit in time to see an opera in Vienna, so we opted for a tour of the Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper) instead.

The tour was a mess. They run multiple simultaneous tours at the same time, so you end up colliding into other groups constantly. First, the tours are separated by languages. Then, they split up each block into 3 more groups and it's first come, first serve on who gets to be in the groups. This created a mess as people clamor to turn in their ticket to start the tour earlier by 5 minutes. I felt bad for older folks who had to use walking sticks and deal with the madness. The tour itself was not enlightening, and our guide repeated a lot of info and didn't seem too sure of the history behind the opera house.

Overall, I would just skip this entirely and just admire the building from the outside next time.

The Vienna opera house, which first opened its doors in 1869 with a performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni, is renowned for its architecture of neo-Renaissance style. Here, a different opera is performed almost every day during the season, with over 350 performances annually. I was astonished you could purchase a ticket to this beautiful venue for $18 euro. The tour was a great 45 minutes to see everything about the Opera house.

Gorgeous Architecture. Opulent Entrance. Magnificent Stairway.

Attentive Valets. Plush Box Seats. Clear Sightline. Majestic Music.

Le Nozze Di Figaro. June 6th, 2023. Treasured Performance. C U Soon.

CHEERS!

WOW!! just wow the history the music the show the place is just filled with the spirit of Mozart. I loved the experience and especially loved how everyone came dressed up! gorgeous spot and it is a must if you visit Wien Vienna

I'm not real big on operas although I adore musical theatre but being in Austria I knew attending opera was a must!

I'd purchased tickets for us to see La Juive which somehow turned into Carmen. I'm not certain if I missed a communication but we were totally happy to see anything, we mainly just wanted to experience the Vienna Opera House.

It was quite warm in our box and I was sleepy since we'd just landed that afternoon, but we managed. I appreciated the personalized screens that translate the opera to a language of your choice. Very helpful! As is the sitting area with a mirror for freshening up, coat hooks and places to store your umbrella and belongings. Quite cozy!

We had great views of the orchestra who were wonderful and it was really lovely to just sit and take the place in.

I often caught myself looking around more than at the stage itself.

It's truly spectacular and if we visit again I think I'll opt for an even further immersion.

We arrived late due to our dinner and waited until intermission to enter. We didn't pre order intermission snacks since we'd just eaten but we did have some macaroons and a sparkling water.

All in all we had a memorable experience and Carmen was wonderful.

It was pouring rain when we left but luckily we dipped right out of a side door and directly down into the train station below.

If you are staying nearby, I'd highly recommend riding the train here. We were staying a Hotel Motto and made it to and from completely underground (for reference if facing inclement weather).

Beautiful opera house all around. Definitely worth a visit, even if Operas aren't really your thing.

A beautiful historical opera house with a great legacy and continued excellence. Grab tickets for a show extremely early because seats sell extremely fast. Some seats don't actually have a view of the stage so pay attention to which you purchase. The main entrance is the original entrance and opulently decorated. You'll find multiple bars and cafes inside but expect to pay a premium. Staff is great and speaks English.

We visited Viena after the opera season had ended while the opera house was being renovated. It would have been better to see an opera there, but the guided tour let us learn more of its history and some interesting anecdotes. I'm not aware of any other opera house that is as gorgeous and opulent, although some of the modern ones (e.g., Sydney and Beijing) do have very interesting and innovative designs.

This review is for the guided tours. The guided tour was the most rushed experience I've ever had. They push you through like cattle, giving you what feels like 10 seconds to take a look at each stop in the venue. Forget about taking photos; there is always a group right after you being ushered in so you are told to stay with your tour guide so you "don't get lost." The tour guide is knowledgeable, but there is no time to process what is said at each stop as you have about 5 seconds afterwards to view everything. We were literally told to sit down in the box seats and stand right back up as soon as the guide was finished talking. There was a traffic jam on the way out, too, as the next group was coming in. Opera tickets can be purchased for as low as $15 if you book early. It's a much better way to enjoy the venue (with an opera performance!) and to take it all in.

I feel so blessed that I got to go to my first opera ever in Vienna's magnificent opera house. Whether you want to watch an opera or not, I highly recommend that you tour the opera house because its architecture and decorative elements are breathtaking.

As for the opera, I got to see Don Giovanni - a classic. Because we wanted to get a good view without paying 200+ euros, we decided to show up about two hours before the show to grab standing tickets. Standing tickets are only 10 euros and offer a fantastic view of the stage. When you get standing tickets, you should bring a scarf or piece of fabric to save your spot. Also, although it is cheap, I must be honest that standing for almost 4 hours was not so comfortable!

Overall, it was an incredible experience that I will never forget! Please go see an opera, or at least take a tour of the building!

My mother and I saw Salome here during our brief visit to Vienna and we loved it.

This opera house is beautiful. So beautiful. The outside is beautiful. The inside entrance and lobby and hallways are beautiful, and the main stage and seating areas are all beautiful.

You have to check bags and coats but they're really fast and efficient. We expected a really long wait after the show but the people working back there were on top of it.

The seats have a screen where each person can select a translation if needed which was a nice modern and unexpected touch. This way we were able to actually follow along and see what was being said.

The show was phenomenal. Brilliant. From the opera singers to the orchestra, props and everything else.

This was something I knew I wanted to do while I'm Vienna and I'm so glad I was able to.