Music Venues in Vienna

Listening to classical music is a wide ranging endeavor and for novice listeners , it is wise to start with works that are melodic and not involved or abstract , The more you listen , the more likely it is that your tastes and understanding will develop over time . I am 71 and have been listening since my early adolescence ( I also spent my career as a professional classical musician ) , Here is a good place to start looking , at things that are likely to be pretty , and won't start your heads spinning . Any further questions , fire away ! https://www.wien.info/en/music-stage-shows/classic/classic-for-beginners

In 2015, we loved experiencing Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Opera House. My only regret is that I did not splurge and pay for better seats. Here is their schedule for March 2018. Suggest buying tickets ASAP.

https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/season-tickets/events/refDate/2018-03-01/

Hi,

From my observations in Vienna consecutively since 2009 (minus 2013), the most played composers in the popular realm (for tourists?) are Mozart and Johann Strauss, jr. You'll probably see music programs to that effect.

One place for concerts including free offerings (depending on the night) is at the Karlskirche, (St Charles church) a bit up from the Karlsplatz and the TU (Tech Uni) I didn't attend a concert but I saw the program (end of May 2017) with performances on Vivaldi and Mozart.

While in Vienna, you will find that there is a flock, a veritable red-coated horde of "Mozard-men", selling tickets to concerts. These are usually high-priced tickets to concerts of "standards"/"war-horses" - pieces that all classical music fans know by heart. Ein Kleine Nachtmusik, Overture to Figaro, pieces from the Magic Flute. Touristic. If you are not much of a classical music fan, this will hit all the buttons. But there are also a lot of other concerts, at a lower price - some free. I believe that you can watch the opera on the plaza outside. The church mentioned above has a nice concert frequently. If you are at a hotel, ask if there is a listing of concerts. If there is a university with a music school, they will play wonderful music for little money. Eschew the Mozart-men, O lover of music and inexpensive deals. There's a lot in Vienna.

We attended a ballet at the Weiner Staatsoper which was a wonderful auditory & visual experience. I splurged for nice front-row box seats that were near the orchestra. If you tire of the music, you could still enjoy the ambiance of the beautiful opera house.

While in Vienna, you will find that there is a flock, a veritable red-coated horde of "Mozard-men", selling tickets to concerts.

If you have never listened to classical music before, then those concerts might appeal to you. In fact those tickets are a rip-off, overpriced with regard to the quality and duration of the performance.

One of the iconic venues is the Musikverein ("the Golden Hall"). They offer a variety of concerts that are legit, not the tourist-oriented ones. Just be sure to choose something that is being held in the "Grosser Saal." We sat in the balcony, and our experience was just fine.

Adding to Janet's post , Here is the website of The Musikverein ( one of the world's greatest concert halls ) https://www.musikverein.at/en , and her remarks are spot on . If you find something interesting , let us know , we can help advise you as to whether it might be a good choice

Why don’t you provide your exact dates and then we can suggest specific events?

You are all so helpful! I haven’t had the opportunity since I posted to dig deeper into your suggestions. Our open dates are March 23-27. Feel free to suggest specific events or I’ll be back later today after my research.

March 25th - Madame Butterfly at the Opera House. Here's the synopsis:

http://www.metopera.org/season/in-cinemas/synopsiscast/madama-butterfly/

This synopsis from the Metropolitan Opera website - not Vienna's.

https://www.musikverein.at/en/programme#!/%23data_year=2018&data_month=3&data_jwos=&data_ass=true&data_wcay=&data_jcay=&data_jc=false&data_nedcc=0&bbq_ev=&data_year=2018
https://www.konzerthaus.at/calendar#month=3&year=2018

https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/season-tickets/detail/event/965044952-madama-butterfly/
No matter in what language the opera is being performed because there are text displays for the seats on which you can choose a translation.

For Emily:

We were in Vienna in 2011, and the "mozart-men" were pretty common around St Stephen's and other tourist locations. Are they still there? What is their season?

The "mozart-men" are ubiquitous in Vienna's city center. The tickets they peddle are a rip-off, overpriced with regard to the quality and duration of the performance.