The Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna's 8th district was founded in October 1788 by the actor Karl Mayer in the backyard of an inn and is the oldest theatre still in operation in Vienna. In 1822 the new building by Joseph Kornhäusel opened with Beethoven's overture The Consecration of the House, conducted by the composer. Ferdinand Raimund and Johann Nestroy were associated with the house as actors and playwrights; Raimund's Der Verschwender premiered here in 1834. From 1858 the theatre concentrated on spoken drama. The first German-language production of Molnár's Liliom in 1913 laid the foundation for the play's worldwide success. In 1924 Max Reinhardt reopened the remodelled house, its auditorium redesigned after the Teatro La Fenice. The Kammerspiele have been its second stage since 1949.
The Theater in der Josefstadt, founded in 1788, is Vienna's oldest continuously operated theatre — Beethoven conducted here the premiere of his overture The Consecration of the House in 1822 for the reopening after renovation.
At a glance
- Type
- Theatre
- Location
- Vienna, Austria
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