Music venues in Prague, Budapest and Vienna

Budapest
No 1 Hungarian State Opera https://www.opera.hu/en/
No 2 Liszt Ferenc Academy (Grand Hall) https://uni.lisztacademy.hu/programmes
No 3 Budapest Operett Theater https://operett.hu/en.

This is in response to your question, but it overlooks all the special performances and jazz and klezmer and church concerts. One other, modern, but a wonderful facility, is the Hungarian House of Music https://zenehaza.hu/en/house-of-music-hungary

I've only been to one performance in Prague, it was quite a few years ago. A ballet. The audience was all tourist. But it might have just been the night.

Vienna gets some of the best Tallent in Europe and as such attracts conisuers from all over and charges accordingly.

Budapest sells a lot of season tickets and that helps to keep the local participation up, also means they sell out fast. The Liszt Academy isn't on the tourist radar so that's a local experience. Sometimes amazing performances.

I have been to the Opera in Budapest--Otello, excellent and very affordable seat on the main floor, brought a dress and heels and fit right in with the locals. I have also taken a separate tour of the building--very much worth getting inside of it, whether by tour or performance.

The Operettszinhaz is more delightful, to me; beautiful little jewel box of a theatre--I have seen 3 charming musical comedies there and always check to see what's on when I have visited. You haven't seen audience appreciation until you've sat through 10 minutes of continuous applause--Hungarians really know how to clap!

In Prague I was thrilled to take in Don Giovanni at the Estates Theatre--the last remaining theatre that Mozart conducted his works in.

There are several opera venues in Prague. We attended Tosca at the Státní Opera Praha, and I've never heard an opera company with better voices. Exceptional. Pricing for opera and classical performances in Prague is extremely reasonable (read: dirt cheap). The Státní Opera is a magnificent venue. At least in July and August, there is always a broad array of performances, and you should have a great selection even in September; looks like things wind down in early October. The main box office at the National Theater is very helpful.

Actually, the first live opera I ever attended was in 1985 in Vienna, for the Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana double bill that is so common. Our travel agent procured first-row center seats, so we could look down into the orchestra pit. Incredible. We could never afford such an experience today. Obviously the Vienna Opera House is one of the world's finest.

I've enjoyed performances in the the venues with "historic grandeur" in all these cities, but I also enjoy attending student recitals/concerts at the music conservatories.

The Estates Theatre in Prague has very good performances. It is the theater where Mozart conducted the premier of Don Giovanni. It has only about 600 seats, so you are up close.

Estates is about 700 seats/standing
Prague Opera about 1000
Hungarian Opera about 1300
Vienna State Opera about 1700

If I were a classical music / opera / ballet aficionado, it would be Vienna.
If I wanted to have an experience where there was a greater participation by the local population, I would choose Budapest.
If I wanted to see a great show in a beautiful place, it would be the Operett in Budapest (900 seats)
(yea, I am biased)

A typical US High School Auditorium 750 to 1000 seats.

In Budapest recently I attended performances at both the State Opera and the Liszt Academy - both halls are worth seeing just for the interiors as well as mingling with the locals - the performance at the Liszt, which I selected simply to get inside the venue, was amazing, and the audience incredibly enthusiastic.

On the same trip I attended a performance of Tosca at the Vienna Staatsoper - world class both in terms of the performances and the interior. I sat upstairs, and blended in well simply wearing black, so don't feel that you have dress up beyond being presentable and not overly casual - an exception would be an opening night.

In Prague years ago we attended a ballet at the National Theatre - another amazing interior. We sat upstairs and during intermission had access to a rooftop terrace, which afforded great views of the city and the river.

In all cases, the experience of attending a performance with a local, appreciative audience is the most memorable aspect. So take advantage of as many opportunities that you can handle.

My mother is from Prague so we visit regularly and no trip is complete without at least one musical outing. For me, the most impressive venues are the Estates Theatre (preferably for a Mozart opera) and Smetana Hall at Obecní Dům (grab a drink in the gorgeous cafe before or after your show).

For Vienna, the Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera) is one of the premier operahouses in the world. Just be sure to attend an actual opera rather than a staged, costumed event. Here is the link - https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/

Alternatively, the Volksoper Wien is an amazing location with well-regarded performances - https://www.volksoper.at/volksoper_wien/index.en.php

With orchestral performances, the Musikverein is probably the most acoustically perfect space in the world and where you want to see the Vienna Philharmonic. The link is here - https://www.musikverein.at/en/. Just be sure to avoid the tourist offerings which rent out the space on the off-season/off-times.

Nearly as good is the Wiener Konzerthaus, with world class classical performances - https://konzerthaus.at/en

You really can't go wrong with any of these four, but the Staatsoper and the Musikverein are top of the world.

Many years ago when I first discovered the attraction of Eastern Europe part of my quest was to try out the Opera houses. I am no Opera nerd, this is all personal perception. I took a couple of classes from https://www.thegreatcourses.com/ so I would have a little better understanding, but I was doing it as much to see the architecture and experience a level of the culture that I suspect most tourists miss. Doing the opera well is about a lot more than sitting in a seat and listening to a performance and then going home, so there is a lot to judge the night on.

I didn’t get as far with my quest as I would have liked. Real life sort of got in the way. But if this is one stop for you of a larger interest then my notes, in no order:

Moscow Bolshoi: Bring Vicks to place under your nose upon entering.

Opera Națională București: 950 seats. This one I was hoping for better. I knew the house, being a commie construct, would be Spartan but didn’t expect the fairly cold encounter, especially in country with such loving people. The best seats for the best show of the year are maybe $75. https://youtu.be/H9hcLJSZqPg?si=_zxYy6Gw7V4YF4ch

Odesa National Academic Opera and Ballet: 1635 Seats. As strikingly beautiful as any 19th century opera house in Europe. The opera company at the time I visited was also highly regarded. This was very good for the architecture, performance, culture and for the people we met and shared the evening with. Ties with Budapest for the best well balanced experience. https://youtu.be/DPNZfGLHgrE?si=yRrvtWptokL_uKPO

Lviv Theater of Opera and Ballet: 1100 seats. Opened in 1900 when Lviv was in the Austro-Hungarian Empire the exterior and the setting is everything you would expect from the empire when it was at its zenith. Freaking amazing. The Ukrainian people bring first class style to anything classical and so a preformance in Ukraine is probalby always worth the time. https://youtu.be/WoxouKR19E0?si=4QzGXt45n8VcRhKG

Prague State Opera: 1040 seats. Very nice and will not disappoint, but not in the upper half of the best in any category; at least at the time of my visit 10 years ago. Biggest complaint is too many tourists which is fine for Western Europe, but not what I go to the East to experience.

Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper) 1700 seats. Of the places I went, if you were an opera performance nerd with an unlimited bank account, this would be the number one stop for you. If you were doing it for the physical ambiance (the architecture), its in the top third of those I visited. If you are doing it for an Austrian cultural experience, then maybe in the second third of my list as too many foreigners in the audience as it is indeed so famous that it draws people from all over the world. Reading the lists below, it’s definitely in Europe’s top 10. Best tickets, best show $300 and up.

Hungarian State Opera House; 1260 seats. The physical ambiance was in the top third, the quality of the performance company (reportedly as what do I know …. ) in the top third, the cultural experience also in the top third. THE ABSOLUTE BEST in ….. probably none of the categories but comes close in the cultural experience. Just a very beautiful, well produced and balanced experience. Best tickets, best show $100 more or less. https://youtu.be/o9sU-SmNXDQ
AND https://1drv.ms/i/c/c9f4c533eb93d92e/EflIu1aI_0JPhukmA1e9SxMBtgDSnI6SAqM1Jvu94PWmXQ?e=uUy8pK

Here are some opinions from Opera nerds on the best.
https://www.appreciateopera.org/post/ranking-the-top-ten-opera-houses-in-the-world
https://www.classical-music.com/articles/famous-opera-houses
https://www.pandotrip.com/top-10-opera-houses-in-the-world-17123/#google_vignette

Here is an opinion from an acoustics nerd
1 Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires BA, 2 Semperoper, Dresden DS, 3 Teatro alla Scalla, Milan MS, 4 New National Theater, Tokyo TT, 5 Opéra Garnier, Paris PG, 6 Staatsoper, Prague PS, 7 Staatsoper, Vienna VS, 8 Metropolitan Opera, New York NM, 9 Festspielhaus, Salzburg SG, 10 Staatsoper, Hamburg HS, 11 Deutscheoper, Berlin BD, 12 Civic Opera, Chicago CC, 13 Komischeoper, Berlin BK http://www.ica2016.org.ar/ica2016proceedings/ica2016/ICA2016-0502.pdf

And another venue in Budapest that some might enjoy: https://feverup.com/hu/budapest-magyarorszag/candlelight?srsltid=AfmBOopkvlXyT2LUCEokFbIEo0f5HkcrkpBrNLV6JHT78t46RE8BQDAq