LowRoller

Hello all.

I am heading to Vienna for the Christmas markets and winter festivites in December. My exact dates will be Dec 15-23 of this year. I really would like to see an Opera for the first time and have tried to do some research but am just confused. Does anyone have an recommendations?
I do like plays, orchestras, broadways, etc. I also do not mind a very formal event. Cost is not a huge factor as long as quality is there. Oh and I do not speak enough of another language. Please let me know if I can give any more information to help out.

tomsam

Hi there. What is the exact confusion?

There are two things to consider while booking tickets for the opera - what you're going to see and where you're going to see it. I would recommend the main opera house in Vienna - the Staatsoper.

You can find information at -
http://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/Cont...Content.en.php

You can check what's playing in December, buy tickets online and hold them for pickup at box office which is very simple to do just before the show (redirects you to another site) -
https://www.culturall.com/ticket/ist...ype=month_menu

The Staatsoper is presents quite a mix - there will be people in jeans (usually further back) and people dressed up formally - so it's all types, and certainly a good experience while in Vienna.

Language is not an issue as you will have a small personal screen at your seat which provides subtitles in a language of your choice.

Would suggest scrolling through the online ticketing site to see what's playing during the time of your visit and make a decision from there. Hope this helps.

catandmouse

The website of the Staatsoper is available in English.
You might also want to look at the Volksoper, which is also excellent (and also in English).
You probably want to reserve in advance particularly if you're going around Christmas / New Year,

Nanook

Here is what's showing at the Staatsoper while you're there:

http://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/Cont...3&mode=current

There's also the Nutcracker, but it appears that it's sold out based on the Culturall.at website. It's possible you could order from here:

http://viennaoperatickets.com/ballet...dte=2013-12-01

and then pick up the tickets before the performance.

We went about 6 years ago to the opera, picked up our tickets that day of the performance and enjoyed ourselves immensely. When you're in your seat at the opera, there is (or at least used to be) a little subtitle thingamajig on the back of the seat in front of you...you can choose the language you want to view it in. After the opera, we went to the Rote Bar at the Hotel Sacher nearby and had a yummy tafelspitz.

It's also possible that you could check at the box office when you arrive and see if there are any tickets that people had to return. At the San Francisco Opera, if you don't have tickets and want to take a chance, people sell their tickets outside of the Opera House. Perhaps it's the same way in Vienna.

general45

Do you have your hotel reserved? Contact the hotel concierge to make reservations on your behalf now or ask questions via email or phone to answer any questions you might have.

LowRoller

Thanks everyone for great answers. I do have my hotel booked and will probably send the concierge an email.

FlyingDoctorwu

Thinking about heading to the opera for a ballet when we visit. How are the mittelloge seats? or should we sit somewhere in the orchestra section?

thanks
FDw

ToGo

Hey
Sorry i cant help you now but if you have other question ask me i life in Vienna.

TofuNinja

In addition to the suggestions made, the OP should check out what is playing at the Musikverein. I second the idea of the Volksoper as well. I saw the Merry Widow there.