Vienna – The Burgtheater

Opened in 1748, the ‘Royal Theatre beside the Palace’ performed a repertoire of Italian operas, French dramas, ballet and German comedies. As the Deutsches Nationaltheater it assumed the foremost position among the theatres of the German-speaking countries from 1776. The theatre on Michaelerplatz was very popular with audiences and the imperial family, who had direct access to it from the palace. The new theatre on the Ring which opened in 1888 soon also became a social and artistic meeting-place.