Tailor-made Holidays for Music Lovers from C and H Travel Ltd
Operetta in and around Baden
More about the performances that can be enjoyed during your stay in Baden ...
Music is very much part of everyday life in Austria. Opera, Operetta and Classical Music remain hugely popular, attracting large audiences. This ensures that musical standards remain extremely high, performed on a scale that is very often no longer viable in other countries.
Baden Operetta Festival
Baden Kur Orchestra Baden Festival Ballet Summer Arena
The Baden Operetta Festival marks the highlight of the musical year in Baden. Productions are fully professional with top soloists, large chorus, a dedicated ballet troupe and an excellent full-scale orchestra. The Festival productions are beautifully costumed and presented.
Each year two or three operettas are staged in the "Summer Arena" featuring famous artistes from the world of operetta. The Festival is extremely popular with most performances selling out well in advance. The "Summer Arena" is a traditional style theatre dating from 1906. The building has a unique feature that makes it a perfect venue for beautiful warm summer evenings - the roof is made up of sliding glass panels that can be rolled back so that the auditorium is open to the stars!
For Summer 2009 the main Festival Productions are yet to be announced.
The Lakeside Festival at Morbisch
"The Merry Widow" at Morbisch 2005
The picturesque village of Morbisch is situated on Lake Neusiedl. The Lakeside Festival at Morbisch is about 1 hour's drive from Baden (transport included). Now in its 52nd year, the Festival attracts more than 220,000 people each year. It is set on one of the most beautiful open air stages in Europe, on the edge of the lake overlooking the Hungarian countryside beyond.
This is probably the most spectacular theatrical event you will ever see! The “auditorium” seats over 6,000 people. Each row is raked so that everyone has an unobstructed view of the enormous “floating stage”.
Sets, costumes and lighting are absolutely stunning. World class soloists are backed by a large cast of professional singers, dancers and musicians. At the end of each performance there is an amazing firework display to music! The exceptionally high artistic standard in all areas has made the Festival into an internationally recognised event and a must for all operetta fans.
For Summer 2009 the Festival will be venturing into the world of Musicals with a lavish and spectacular production of "My Fair Lady" by Alan J Lerner and Frederick Loewe.
Words cannot express the atmosphere of this unique theatrical experience. It should not be missed!
Whilst in the Morbisch area look out for the storks that nest on the chimneys of the houses!
Operetta at Schonbrunn Palace
The Theatre at Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna
The magnificent theatre at Schonbrunn Palace will be the venue for two operetta productions by Carl Zeller next summer. "Der Vogelhandler" ("The Bird Seller") will be performed throughout July and August. "Der Obersteiger" will receive just two performances in August 2009.
"Der Vogelhandler" ("The Bird Seller") dates from 1891. This is one of the most delightful and melodious operettas of all. Set in Bavaria, it is the story of two young lovers - Christel, the village Postmistress, and Adam, a handsome birdseller from the Tyrol. They become embroiled in highly entertaining intrigues and misunderstandings involving the Court of the reigning Prince. Zeller's score is full of charming, lilting melodies including the beautiful "Roses from Tyrol".
The theatre at Schonbrunn dates from 1747. Situated in the western wing of the Palace it was originally used by the Empress Maria Theresia for private Court performances. The theatre was refurbished by Napoleon in 1809 and electric lighting was installed in 1898.
St Margarethen Opera Festival
St Margarethen is a small village near Eisenstadt, about one hour's drive from Baden. The St Margarethen Opera Festival is an open air event, set in a former Roman quarry dating from the First Century A.D. Passion plays have been performed at St Margarethen since 1926. The Opera Festival began in 1996 and quickly became an opera event of international standard.
For Summer 2009 the chosen opera will be Verdi's "Rigoletto".