The Vienna State Opera recently held a free, open-air concert as part of its ongoing effort to “open the house to all—especially new listeners,” as stated in an official announcement.
The event featured performances by several world-class singers, including Latvian mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca, German tenor Jonas Kaufmann, Finnish soprano Camilla Nylund, and French tenor Benjamin Bernheim. Garanca told AFP, “I’m very happy that I can be a part of such an event because our goal is to communicate with people, regardless of their race, nationality, political situation, or cultural differences.” The acclaimed mezzo-soprano added, “I find it really great that the house makes a step toward the audience instead of all the time waiting for them.” She expressed her hope that the gala concert would become a “yearly tradition.”
Many visitors enjoyed the concert with friends and family, sitting on picnic blankets or chairs.
‘Eager to Learn’ Jeremy Gregoire, a Canadian ice hockey player who recently moved to Vienna, told AFP before the concert, “We have no clue who is performing tonight, but we’re eager to learn—and I like classical music; I played when I was a kid.”
Thanthida Helbardt, a 43-year-old embassy employee originally from Thailand, told AFP she discovered the concert online and decided to attend.
Even before the concert began, the packed park was closed to additional visitors for security reasons, resulting in many would-be concert-goers being turned away. The performance featured audience favorites from famous operas, including Puccini’s “Tosca,” Wagner and Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro,” as well as pieces by Strauss. The Austrian broadcaster ORF aired the concert on Sunday evening with a one-hour delay.
