Vienna State Opera Tickets on May 17?

This is the correct link to buy tickets:
https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/season-tickets/events/refDate/2018-05-01/

If you book through a ticket reseller or broker you have face a surcharge.

Do you want to see Richard Strauss's "Capriccio" or is that just the evening you have available. Otherwise, I'd go the night before to see Donizetti's "Don Pasquale". They are both comedies (the chick doesn't die in the end), but you might find Donizetti a bit more "musical". Strauss is "modern", if you get my drift.

Seats in the second balcony are going for 89 EUR should be pretty good. Dress as good as you can. Also, if members of your family are children, there may be a discount. You'll have to register at the site. That's normal.

I strongly recommend to order the tickets now on stand-by. You enter a deadline for it; normally it is two days before the performance at the latest. If you do not want to be unsure whether you get tickets until that moment, you may set an earlier date. If tickets have been allocated to you, you will receive an e-mail giving a deadline for your payment to confirm your booking.

This is the direct link for May 17th: https://www.culturall.com/ticket/isto/pvkue.mc?pvkue=965051341&language=2

Here you can see the seating plan in detail and the respective prices, i.e. price category S for May 17th:
https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/your-visit/ticket-sales/seating-plan-prices/

And if this doesn't work, you can still see the Opera House on one of the daily tours.

I would reiterate what Sam said - If you are not musically advanced you might find that " Capriccio " is a bit hard to grasp . start by reading this - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capriccio_(opera) and here is the complete work - https://youtu.be/EOFki9ykmBs You might want to " audition " a bit before committing to tickets .

If you are not opera buffs (and I gather you aren't), I would suggest lining up for the standing room tickets, which go on sale 80 minutes before the curtain time. These tickets are dirt cheap, so you can watch the first act and leave without any guilt. There is info online about how to purchase these tickets and the protocol (bring a scarf).

There is another way to skin this cat - As Laura says , you can tour the building , separate from a performance , and buy tickets that night for The Volksoper Wien , the performance that night is an operetta by Emmerich Kalman , one of the most prolific composers of Viennese operetta - " The Circus Princess " , charming story and lovely music , The theater itself is wonderful with excellent acoustics and sight lines , not to mention first rate performers and orchestra - https://www.volksoper.at/volksoper_wien/index.en.php

By the way , If you decide to leave after the first act as per Emily's recommendation , you will have seen the entire opera , as it is performed in one act , two and one half hours in length

An essential factor for outsiders at the opera in foreign-speaking lands is whether the surtitles -- or super titles -- are in English as well as the local language. Anybody know about Vienna?

We are arriving only 4 pm in Vienna by train and our hotel is a 10 min walk so I am not sure we can line up for stand by tickets? What time does the opera usually start? I am
just a bit confused about the official website and which boxes to tick off on the seating. Then I have been reading the forums that you have to wait on what tickets you will get? Whereas the other seller sites you plug in and prinr tickets already? Yes admittedly we know very little about operas but would like to experience one. Unfortunately, we only have one night in Vienna so wanted to check it out for the night of May 17.

Do yourself a favor , listen to some of this before you make a decision - https://youtu.be/ptPDrSTdf9I

Steven - interesting detail. I'm surprised as I think the Opera is all about having some Sekt mid-performance. Still no reason why the OP can't just leave 20-30 minutes in.

So, there is the official website and then there are re-sellers with considerable mark-up. You choose. Personally, I'd skip the Opera and do something else.

After all your helpful comments we just decided to book at Musikverein since its a Beethoven symphony that is on for the evening of May 17. Thank you for all your help we are all excited!

Emily , quite true , the op could still leave as you suggest . I felt that it was appropriate for her to be aware of the relatively unorthodox structure of this particular opera . While one act operas are indeed rare in the mainstream repertoire , there are some , mostly by Richard Strauss ( no relation the Viennese Strauss family ) that stand out i.e. ' Daphne " , " Elektra " , Salome " . Some one act pieces are paired in common practice , so an intermission would be present - A fine example is " Cavalleria Rusticana " paired in performance with " Pagliacci " ( While " Pagliacci " is actually two acts ) creating two intermissions for some welcome refreshment ;-- )

chicaholic 4ever , Wonderful choice !! The Musikverein is arguably the world's greatest concert hall , Not only does it boast the finest acoustics anywhere , it is some of the best eye candy you could encounter , wait until you set foot in the hall . One slight comment - The Beethoven is not a symphony , but The piano concerto number 5 , known as The " Emperor " concerto . His last piano concerto , it is a stunningly beautiful work . The Shostakovich fifth symphony which comprises the second half of the program is probably the best known of his symphonies , a work reflective of the brooding depth of the Russian soul . Here is a fine recording to acquaint you with it - https://youtu.be/B2uiCENKgpw

@ Steven/ny....Yes, R Strauss of "Also, sprach Zarathustra" fame with opening used as the theme melody in the 1969 film. I wonder if he and Bruno Walter reconciled after the war.

Fred , there never was a reconciliation , this is an interesting piece about them - http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/politics-and-propaganda/third-reich/walter-bruno/ Some of my favorite recordings of Beethoven , Brahms , and Mahler symphonies , are those by Bruno Walter and The Columbia Symphony Orchestra made in the fifties