Schlosstheater Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Palace Theatre) is a stage at

Schönbrunn Palace Schönbrunn Palace (Austrian German, German: Schloss Schönbrunn ) was the main summer residence of the House of Habsburg, Habsburg rulers, located in Hietzing, the 13th district of Vienna. The name ''Schönbrunn'' (meaning "beautiful spring") ha ...

in Vienna which opened in 1747. The Baroque theatre now serves for the training of students of acting and opera of the

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (, abbreviated MDW) is an Austrian university established in 1817 located in Vienna. With a student body of over three thousand, it is the largest institution of its kind in Austria, and one of t ...

(MDW), and for performances of the Musik Theater Schönbrunn.

History

In the 17th century, theatrical performances were held occasionally at the park of Schloss Schönbrunn.

Maria Theresa Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position suo jure, in her own right. She was the ...

commissioned

Nicolò Pacassi Nicolò Pacassi (5 March 1716 – 11 November 1790), also known as Nikolaus Pacassi, was an Italian-Austrian architect. He was born in Wiener Neustadt in Lower Austria in a family of merchants from Gorizia. In 1753, he was appointed court archi ...

in 1745 to build an imperial theatre in a wing of the palace, as one of the first palace theatres in Europe. It was opened on 4 October 1747, the

name day In Christianity, a name day is a tradition in many countries of Europe and the Americas, as well as Christian communities elsewhere. It consists of celebrating a day of the year that is associated with one's baptismal name, which is normatively t ...

of her husband,

Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor Francis I (Francis Stephen; ; ; ; 8 December 1708 – 18 August 1765) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1745 to 1765, List of rulers of Austria#Dukes and archdukes of Austria under the House of Habsburg, Archduke of Austria from 1740 to 1765, List of ...

. The empress, who appeared in opera and theatre, watched her children perform in ''

tableaux vivants A (; often shortened to ; ; ) is a static scene (performing arts), scene containing one or more actors or models. They are stationary and silent, usually in costume, carefully posed, with props and/or theatrical scenery, scenery, and may be s ...

''. The theatre first served the

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...

court exclusively. Members of the Court Opera performed at the theatre. Operas by

Christoph Willibald Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; ; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period (music), classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of th ...

premiered there, '' L'arbre enchanté'' in 1759, and '' Il Parnaso confuso'' in 1765.

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

conducted performances of the Esterhazy orchestra in 1777. When

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

had his headquarters in Schönbrunn, he renovated the theatre. It was reopened in 1809 with Jean Racine's ''

Phèdre ''Phèdre'' (; originally ''Phèdre et Hippolyte'') is a French dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677 at the theatre of the Hôtel de Bourgogne in Paris. Composition and premiere With ...

''. Singers of the

Theater am Kärntnertor or (Duchy of Carinthia, 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 170 ...

appeared for emperors and kings during the

Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...

. Under

Ferdinand I of Austria Ferdinand I ( 19 April 1793 – 29 June 1875) was Emperor of Austria from March 1835 until his abdication in December 1848. He was also King of Hungary, King of Croatia, Croatia and King of Bohemia, Bohemia (as Ferdinand V), King of Lombardy– ...

, the theatre flourished again, with plays performed by the ensemble of the

Burgtheater The Burgtheater (; literally: "Castle Theater" but alternatively translated as "(Imperial) Court Theater", originally known as '' K.K. Theater an der Burg'', then until 1918 as the ''K.K. Hofburgtheater'', is the national theater of Austria in ...

. In 1898, the palace and theatre were electrified. Before World War I, the building was used as storage for furniture, but after the imperial belongings were stolen in 1919, plays were again performed during the summer by the Burgtheater, directed by

Albert Heine Albert Heine (16 November 1867, in Braunschweig – 13 April 1949, in Westerland) was a German-Jewish Siegbert Salomon Prawer, ''Between Two Worlds: The Jewish Presence in German and Austrian Film, 1910-1933'', Berghahn Books (2007), p. 213 stage ...

, until 1924.. In 1929, the Schlosstheater was given to the Max Reinhardt Seminar as a rehearsal stage, which has used it, together with the opera department of the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst, from October to June. The building underwent major restoration in 1979/80.

Literature

* Ernst Moriz Kronfeld: ''Das Schönbrunner Schloßtheater''
Erster Teil: ''Von Maria Theresia bis zur Franzosenzeit''
In: Hans Devrient (ed.): ''Archiv für Theatergeschichte'', Vol. I, Fleischel, Berlin 1904, pp. 43–62. ** —: —
Zweiter Teil: ''Vorstellungen vor Napoleon''
In: Hans Devrient (ed.): ''Archiv für Theatergeschichte'', Vol. II, Fleischel, Berlin 1905, pp. 169–192 *

Dagobert Frey Dagobert Frey (23 April 1883 in Vienna – 13 May 1962 in Stuttgart) was an Austrian art historian, a criminal responsible for the theft of the most valuable European and Polish collections from the Warsaw and Kraków museums and national art gal ...

Franz Herterich Franz Herterich (3 October 1877 – 28 October 1966) was a German actor. He was born in Munich and died in Vienna. Partial filmography * '' The Eye of the Buddha'' (1919) * ''Der Traum im Walde'' (1919) – alter Diener * ''Todestreue'' (1919) * ...

, Karl Kobald, Direktion des Burgtheaters in Wien (ed.): ''Das Schönbrunner Schlosstheater''. Theater und Kultur, Vol. 11, . Amalthea, Vienna 1924
OBV
* Oscar Deléglise (ed.): ''Das Schönbrunner Schloßtheater''. Bauer, Vienna 1947
OBV
* ''Kunsträume''. December 2009. (Schlosstheater Schönbrunn). Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, Vienna 2009.

References

External links

* *
Wien – Schönbrunn/Park und Parkbauten
burgen-austria.com {{Theatre in Austria Theatres in Vienna Theatres completed in 1747 Schönbrunn Palace