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The Kärntnertortheater: lithograph, ca. 1830

Theater am Kärntnertor or Kärntnertortheater was a prestigious theater in Vienna during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Its official title was Kaiserliches und Königliches Hoftheater zu Wien, the "Imperial and Royal Court Theater of Vienna".

History

The theater was built in 1709 to designs by Antonio Beduzzi on a site near the former Kärntnertor,¹ on the grounds of the present Hotel Sacher. The expenses of building the theater were borne by the City of Vienna, and was intended (as Eva Badura-Skoka notes)² to be "frequented by the Viennese population of all classes." However, at the command of the Emperor, the first performances were of Italian opera, an elite form of entertainment. In 1711 the theater was redirected to its original purpose when it was placed under the direction of Joseph Stranitzky, who put on a variety of entertainments, often embodying a German version of the Italian commedia dell'arte.² The theater was managed by Stranitzky's widow after his death.

In 1728 the court artists Borosini and Selliers, who had performed intermezzi in both German and Italian, became the Kärntnertortheater's directors. From 1742 to 1750 the theatre was leased to Selliers alone. In 1752, however, Maria Theresa withdrew the imperial privilege, placing the theater under the direct scrutiny of the magistrates of Vienna.

The first theatre burned in 1761 and was rebuilt by the court architect Nicolò Pacassi; two years later it reopened, again under protective privilege, as the Kaiserliches und Königliches Hoftheater zu Wien, "Imperial and Royal Court Theater of Vienna". From the early nineteenth century ballets were added to the repertory, as well as Italian and German operas. From 1811 to 1814 Ignaz Franz Castelli served as Hoftheaterdichter, "poet of the court theater". From 1821 the Italian impresario Domenico Barbaia added the theatre to the string of theatres under his management, and presented Italian operas. Beginning in 1861 the Vienna Court Opera House (now the Vienna State Opera) was built on the adjoining grounds; it was completed in 1869 and in 1870 the former theatre was razed.

During its heyday several composers conducted the theatre orchestra during their youth including Franz Lachner and Ferdinando Paer.

First performances of operas and other works

• 1753 (perhaps 1751) Der krumme Teufel ("The lame devil"), a comic opera by the young Joseph Haydn, now lost, that established his early reputation³
• 1774 (April 4): Thamos, König in Ägypten, a play by Tobias Philipp, Baron von Gebler, with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• 1787 (March 7) Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25 in C, K. 503⁴
• 1795 (October 14): Palmira, regina di Persia by Antonio Salieri
• 1799 (January 3): Falstaff by Antonio Salieri
• 1799 (February 28): Camilla by Ferdinando Paer
• 1799 (July 12): Il morto vivo by Ferdinando Paer
• 1800 (June 2): Cesare in Farmacusa by Antonio Salieri
• 1800 (September 2): Ginevra degli Almieri by Ferdinando Paer
• 1800 (October 22): L'Angiolina by Antonio Salieri
• 1800 (December 18): Poche ma buone by Ferdinando Paer
• 1801 (June 6): Achille by Ferdinando Paer
• 1814 (May 23): Fidelio (final version as performed today) by Ludwig van Beethoven
• 1821 (March 7): Franz Schubert's song Der Erlkönig
• 1822 (December 4): Libussa by Conradin Kreutzer
• 1823 (October 25): Euryanthe by Carl Maria von Weber
• 1824 (May 7): Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
• 1829 (August): The Viennese début as pianist of Frédéric Chopin⁵
• 1842 (May 19): Linda di Chamounix by Gaetano Donizetti
• 1843 (June 5): Maria di Rohan by Gaetano Donizetti
• 1844 (February 3): Die Heimkehr des Verbannten by Carl Otto Nicolai
• 1845 (November 13): Dom Sébastien (revised version) by Gaetano Donizetti
• 1845 (December 20): Der Tempelritter by Carl Otto Nicolai
• 1847 (November 25): Martha by Friedrich von Flotow

See also

The European Anthem commemorative coin

• The name Neues Theater am Kärntnertor ("New Theatre at the Kärntnertor") was adopted 1959-73 by the cabaret artist Gerhard Bronner, as a showcase for comedy, the predecessor of the current Stadttheater of Vienna.

Commemorative coin

• The theater was selected as main motif for the Austrian The European Anthem commemorative coin minted in May 11, 2005. The reverse shows the old Theater am Kärntnertor. It was in this theatre that Beethoven's 9th symphony with the "Ode to Joy" was first publicly performed. A portrait of Beethoven, together with the opening notes of the previously mentioned symphony, is also included in the coin.

Notes

1. ^ "Kärntnertor" means "Carinthian gate"; from "Kärnten" (German for Carinthia), "Kärntner" ("Carinthian")
2. ^ ^{a b} Badura-Skoda 1973
3. ^ http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/JMH/journal/issues/v76n2/760201/760201.web.pdf
4. ^ Dayton Philharmonic programme notes for Mozart's 25th Pano Concerto
5. ^ Björling (2002, 8)

References

• Badura-Skoda, Eva (1973) "The Influence of the Viennese Popular Comedy on Haydn and Mozart," Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association 185-189.
• Björling, David (2002) Frédéric Chopin and the G minor Ballade, available on line at http://epubl.luth.se/1402-1552/2002/01/LTU-DUPP-0201-SE.pdf

• 'The New Grove Dictionary of Opera', ed. Stanley Sadie (London, 1992) ISBN 0-333-73432-7

External links

• Kärntnertortheater

Coordinates: 48°12′12″N 16°22′15″E / 48.20333, 16.37083

Wikipedia content modification information:

• This page was last modified on 26 November 2008, at 00:53.

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