Theater Am Kärntnertor

or (Carinthian Gate Theatre) was a prestigious theatre in Vienna during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Its official title was (Imperial and Royal Court Theatre of Vienna).

History

The theatre was built in 1709 to designs by Antonio Beduzzi on a site near the former Kärntnertor, on the grounds of the present Hotel Sacher. The expenses of building the theatre were borne by the City of Vienna, and it was intended (as Eva Badura-Skoda notes)Badura-Skoda 1973 to be "frequented by the Viennese population of all classes". However, at the command of the emperor, the first performances were of Italian operas, an elite form of entertainment. In 1711, the theatre was redirected to its original purpose when it was placed under the direction of Josef Stranitzky, who put on a variety of entertainment, often embodying a German version of the Italian commedia dell'arte. The theatre was managed by Stranitzky's widow after his death.

In 1728, court artists Borosini and Selliers, who had performed intermezzi in both German and Italian, became the Kärntnertortheater's directors. From 1742 to 1750, the theatre was leased to Selliers alone. In 1752, however, Maria Theresa withdrew the imperial privilege, placing the theatre under the direct scrutiny of the magistrates of Vienna.

The first theatre burned in 1761 and was rebuilt by court architect Nicolò Pacassi; two years later it reopened, again under protective privilege, as the (Imperial and Royal Court Theatre of Vienna). From the early nineteenth century, ballets were added to the repertory, as well as Italian and German operas. From 1811 to 1814, Ignaz Franz Castelli served as ''Hoftheaterdichter'' (poet of the court theatre). From 1821, the Italian impresario Domenico Barbaia added the venue to the string of theatres under his management and presented Italian operas. Beginning in 1861, the Vienna Court Opera House (now the Vienna State Opera) was built on the adjoining grounds; it was completed in 1869 and in 1870, the former theatre was razed, making way for the apartment building that became the Hotel Sacher. Gerhard Bronner's cabaret used the name (New Theatre at the Kärntnertor) from 1959 to 1973, before adopting its present name.

First performances of operas and other works

During its heyday, several composers conducted the theatre orchestra, including the young Franz Lachner and Ferdinando Paer.
* 1753 (perhaps 1751): ''Der krumme Teufel'' (''The Lame Devil''), a comic opera by the young Joseph Haydn, now lost, that established his early reputation
* 1764 (October 18): ''L'olimpiade'' by Florian Leopold Gassmann
* 1766 (May 25): ''Il viaggiatore ridicolo'' by Florian Leopold Gassmann
* 1774 (April 4): ''Thamos, King of Egypt'', a play by Tobias Philipp, Baron von Gebler, with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
* 1787 (March 7): Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25 in C, K. 503
* 1795 (October 14): '' Palmira, regina di Persia'' by Antonio Salieri
* 1799 (January 3): ''Falstaff'' by Antonio Salieri
* 1799 (February 28): ''Camilla'' by Ferdinando Paer
* 1799 (July 12): ''Il morto vivo'' by Ferdinando Paer
* 1800 (June 2): ''Cesare in Farmacusa'' by Antonio Salieri
* 1800 (September 2): ''Ginevra degli Almieri'' by Ferdinando Paer
* 1800 (October 22): ''L'Angiolina'' by Antonio Salieri
* 1800 (December 18): ''Poche ma buone'' by Ferdinando Paer
* 1801 (June 6): ''Achille'' by Ferdinando Paer
* 1814 (May 23): ''Fidelio'' (final version as performed today) by Ludwig van Beethoven
* 1821 (March 7): Franz Schubert's song " Erlkönig"
* 1822 (December 4): ''Libussa'' by Conradin Kreutzer
* 1823 (October 25): ''Euryanthe'' by Carl Maria von Weber
* 1824 (May 7): Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
* 1829 (August 11): The Viennese début as pianist of Frédéric ChopinBjörling (2002, 8)
* 1837 (March 9): ''Das Nachtlager in Granada'' (second version with recitatives) by Conradin Kreutzer
* 1842 (May 19): ''Linda di Chamounix'' by Gaetano Donizetti
* 1843 (June 5): '' Maria di Rohan'' by Gaetano Donizetti
* 1844 (February 3): ''Die Heimkehr des Verbannten'' by Otto Nicolai
* 1845 (November 13): ''Dom Sébastien'' (revised version) by Gaetano Donizetti
* 1845 (December 20): ''Der Tempelritter'' by Otto Nicolai
* 1847 (November 25): ''Martha'' by Friedrich von Flotow
* 1864 (February 4): ''Die Rheinnixen'' (''Les Fées du Rhin'') by Jacques Offenbach

References

Notes

Sources
* Badura-Skoda, Eva (1973). "The Influence of the Viennese Popular Comedy on Haydn and Mozart", ''Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association'', pp. 185–189.
* Björling, David (2002)
"Chopin and the G minor Ballade''

Further reading

* '' New Grove Dictionary of Opera'', ed. Stanley Sadie (London, 1992)

External links

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Theater am Karntnertor
Theatres completed in 1709
Karntnertor, Theater am
Karntnertor, Theater am
Karntnertor, Theater am
1709 establishments in Austria
Buildings and structures demolished in 1870
Demolished buildings and structures in Austria