Jazz & Classical Music in Vienna

I went to a string quartet concert at St. Anne's Church a few years ago and loved it. It was a magical hour of lovely music in a beautiful old church which was made even prettier with the soft candle-lit lighting. It was a highlight of my visit to Vienna and I'd strongly recommend it. I'd go again if I ever go back to Vienna. Plus it's right in the Old Town area so easy to get to.

I recommend the Wein Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera, https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/). Though I prefer orchestral music, I decided to go the opera as part of a 2015 visit to hear Salome by Richard Strauss. How many times will I be able to hear opera in Vienna, one of the world capitals of the genre? I doubt many tourists go to the opera in Vienna. It's mostly Viennese. It was fun to see the upper classes of Europe out for the night, but most of the attendees were regular people. If you go, don't feel you have to dress to impress. Though I wore just a suit coat without a tie, I fit in perfectly and might have been better dressed than most attendees. The state opera is on Kärntner Straße in central Vienna. The performance was fabulous.

There are actually three opera houses in Vienna: the Staatsoper (mainstream opera repertory), the Volksoper (lighter repertory, often operettas) and Theater an der Wien (very good selection of operas, often baroque titles, not as large as Staatsoper).
There are two main concert halls: the Musikverein (whose main orchestra is the Wiener Philharmoniker, tickets very difficult to find) and the Konzerthaus (home to Wiener Symphoniker); but both houses host a lot of concert organizations so they have very intense programs.
I would not consider any of these venues as touristy are you are much more likely to find classical music enthusiasts from Vienna and international guests (but those moved by musical interests more than tourists). I would say that a night at the Volksoper with Fledermaus is a thing as Viennese as you can get.

Jazzland, Porgy & Bess are the top jazz clubs in Vienna, but not to forget IG Jazz (interest group), a bunch of smaller clubs.

https://www.jazzland.at/e_index.htm
https://www.porgy.at/en/
https://www.ig-jazz.at/

What are your dates in early October? I'm happy to make some classical recommendations. Please note that the classical music at St. Anne's and Sala Terrena is exactly for tourists. No local would go to these shows.

We prefer smaller, less "touristy" places.

In another life I used to try and hit an opera hours or concert theater or operetta theater in every city I went to, so I think it adds up to 10 venues in 8 cities. Many of them were so much still the local culture that a tourist stood out. But you have to hunt for that these days. The last 6 years or so I have been in a rut with just two visits (Budapest and Odesa). That makes me an expert at absolutely nothing. FIRST, if you want truth, listen to Emily (or someone else that shows on their profile experience in Vienna or at least with the topic), but certainly not me. Over 22 years my experience in Vienna amounts to maybe 8 days and while I was there for 2 days this year, and last year, the last time I spent more than 2 days in Vienna was almost 10 years ago. So I will offer you some Google research and a lot of "maybe's"

Staatsoper 1700 seats. This is smaller than a typical similar US venue. The San Francisco Opera House for instance seats over 3,000. But its consistent with many European opera houses.
Volksoper about 1300 seats so a little “smaller”.
Theater an der Wien about 1000 seats, so yet smaller. But for context the Opera House in Budapest is about 1000 seats too. While it is undisputedly the most beautiful performance venue in Europe, even at 1000 seats it isnt small or personal in size.

I would anticipate that at least half of the audience in any of these, if not more, would be from other than Vienna. I have nothing to support other than one visit to The Staatsoper and one to the Theater an der Wien many years ago. Maybe fewer tourists on a Friday or a Saturday when local working people tend to go out. Maybe fewer tourists on opening nights as well. And maybe fewer uncouth tourists in the expensive seats. Lots of “maybe” no fact.

Of course you said Classical Music not specifically opera.
So, the Great Hall of the Musikverein clocks in with about 1700 seats. Okay, I have done this, but it was at least 10 years ago. Still, my impression is that if you want an authentic Vienna evening this is where you go and you do it on a Friday or a Saturday … even Thursday if that’s all you are available for. Pay out the “you know” for good seats and you will remember it for life. Okay, I have at least. The Volksoper I have been inside of but never heard a performance. It just doesn’t have the knock you on your butt “Welcome to Vienna y’all” impact of the Musikverein; but I am a pompous old arse so what do I know.

Then there used to be some chamber orchestra venues in Vienna. Those would be smaller and more intimate but also more for the tourist.

For Jazz, the closest place to the center of Vienna that I know of is called Opus. A bit far, but I think it’s among the best (meaning good music, good seating, good acoustics, good atmosphere, and oddly enough good food but do eat up before the show begins). https://opusjazzclub.hu/en (now I picture some RS regulars rolling their eyes …. Did you expect less from me?)

What are your dates in early October? I'm happy to make some classical recommendations. Please note that the classical music at St. Anne's and Sala Terrena is exactly for tourists. No local would go to these shows.

We will arrive in Vienna on Oct 1st and will depart on Oct 4th.