Dramatic architecture seems somehow uniquely European. There are just some buildings that have a look that says old world elegance. The Imperial Palace Theater is one of those European buildings that has such a stately grandeur that seems timeless in its appeal.
The Imperial Palace Theater may have a different name than when it opened in 1886 but despite the ravages of war, the beautiful building and the theater company it houses still remain a major force in Vienna.
The Imperial Palace Theater was originally designed by J.J. Jirchner and was built by Baron Hasenauer. The large, imposing and grand building is now known by the name of the theater group that calls it home. The Burgtheater, according to
Wikipedia, "is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world."
The drawing now being shared on
Reusable Art is posted under the title
Imperial Palace Theatre, Vienna. The original image is 536px wide by 400px tall.
The Burgtheater has a long history dating back to 1741 when it was created by Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. The theater had the honor of hosting the premier of three of Mozart's operas - Die Entführung aus dem Serail (1782), Le nozze di Figaro (1786) and Così fan tutte (1790).
The Burgtheater was heavily damaged in a bombing raid in the spring of 1945 and the building was further damaged by a mysterious fire a month later. Fortunately, the theatre was restored to its former glory in the 50s.
This glorious building and the theater group that calls it home was honored on 2005, the 50th anniversary of it's reopening with a collectors coin. The Austrian government featured images of the National Theater (Burgtheater) and the National Opera House on a 10 euro commemorative coin.
Visit the website for the theater -
Burgtheater for current scheduling and events. (The site is written in German, English and French but the site indicates that all performances are in German.)
