Description of the attraction
The Graz Opera House was completed at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. It is located in the historic center of the city, in the Innere Stadt district and in the immediate vicinity of the city park. The opera house in Graz is the second largest theater in the whole of Austria.
Theatrical life in Graz originated in the 17th century - then performances were given directly at the residence of the Habsburgs, but not in the most prestigious place - in the coach house of their estate. The first theater in the city appeared already in 1776, it is interesting that early operas of the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart were performed here. This theater is still functioning, but it was transformed into a drama theater.
The predecessor of the modern opera house in Graz was the Thalia Theater, the Muse of Comedy and Light Poetry, which was established in 1864 in a former circus building. However, already 20 years later, it was decided that this theater did not meet the city's requirements, and in 1887, work began on the construction of a new structure. The architects of the building were Ferdinard Fellner and Herman Helmer, who had been working on the construction of theaters in Eastern Europe for several decades, including in Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary.
The new opera house in Graz was built in the neo-baroque style. It is a monumental two-story building topped with a dark red painted round dome. The main portal of the theater is especially distinguished, decorated with various reliefs on the upper tier and a portico with columns on the middle tier.
Unfortunately, the building was badly damaged during World War II and several outstanding parts and decorations were irretrievably lost. The interior decoration of the premises, executed in the luxurious style of the Rococo era, was restored in 1983-1985, at the same time the theater was enlarged. It now has a capacity of 1,400 seats. The theater performs mainly opera performances, classical ballet and a variety of operettas. At the opening ceremony of the theater, the opera Lohengrin by the famous Richard Wagner was performed.
