Vienna NightLife

Vienna NightLife information

Music

Classical Vienna is one of the finest places in the world to enjoy classical music, with a variety of performances on offer throughout the year. The most popular concerts are naturally those of works by composers who found Vienna their inspiration, including Schubert, Beethoven, Hadyn and of course Mozart. The Konzerthaus is the main venue for performances. This venue comprises the Grosser Konzerthaussaal, Mozartsaal, and Schubertsaal. Tourists are often treated to the full Mozart experience with costumed performers and so forth. Lothringerstrasse 20. Tel: +43 (0)1-242-002. As fun as the fancy dress concerts might be, a more polished professional performance can be had from the city's resident orchestra, the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic. For details of when the orchestra is performing contact the official office at: Wiener Philharmoniker, Bösendorferstrasse 12. Tel: +43 (0)1-505-6525 The Orangerie at Schönbrunn Palace hosts classical and chamber music performances in season. Hit the voucher tag for details of how to obtain a fabulous EUR4 discount off ticket prices. For more details call Tel: +43 (0)1-812-5004. Vienna Boys Choir Founded in 1498, this choir has become an internationally recognised symbol of Austria. Every Sunday, the choir sings solemn mass in the Hofburg chapel - a tradition unbroken since their founding. Tickets can be extremely hard to obtain, especially for the ten balcony seats. These much sought-after spots offer the only viewpoint from where you can actually see the choir as due to the design of the chapel, the singers are screened from the rest of the congregation. You can reserve your tickets by writing at least eight weeks in advance to Hofmusikkapelle Hofburg, A-1010 Vienna, after which you will be sent a reservation card that you exchange for your ticket at the box office. Alternatively you can try to buy your ticket directly from the various ticket agencies in the city or the box office (open: daily 11h30-13h00 & 15h00-17h00). Contact the Hofburg for more information, Tel: +43 (0)1-533-7570 and box office Tel: +43 (0)1-533-5067.

Theatre

A wide range of theatre fills a busy year-round calendar. The main venues in the city are the Akademietheater (Lisztstrasse 1. Tel: +43 (0)1-51444-4740) and the Burgtheater (Dr Karl-Lueger Ring 2. Tel: +43 (0)1-51444-4440). Both offer an eclectic mix of international and domestic plays, with the Burgtheater having a reputation for weighty (and wordy) productions. Unless you're quite fluent in German, or know the plays on offer pretty well, you might struggle to keep up. The Akademie tends to have more accessible plays but still towards the high end of the theatrical canon. The International Theatre (Tel: +43 (0)1-319-6272), offers a range of plays in various languages through the year and the English Theatre of Vienna (Tel: +43 (0)1-402-1260-0), has a mixed programme of theatrical productions in English.

Opera

The two main opera houses in Vienna are the Staatsoper and the Volksoper. The Staatsoper is undoubtedly the premier venue of the two. This vast gilded palace, rebuilt following the Second World War is a perfect backdrop to the most famous works of opera in the world, including, of course, Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro". Kärntnerstrasse. Tel: +43 (0)1-5144-4225-0. The Volksoper offers a slightly lower brow mix of opera and operetta as well as ballet, dance, and musicals. Währingerstrasse 78. Tel: +43 (0)1-5144-4367-0.

Cinema

Cinema in Vienna seems to matter as much as any other artform. The city served as the location for The Third Man, one of the greatest films in history and visitors can still take "Harry Lime" tours of the city, following the itinerary of Orson Welles's character. Watching the film in one of the city's art house cinemas is a rare treat for any fan of the silver screen. The Filmcasino is widely considered to be one of Vienna's most charismatic cinemas with its 50s styling and eclectic programme of film. It is a popular venue during Vienna's film festival especially for fringe cinema. The films on offer tend towards the arty. Margaretenstrasse 78. Tel: +43 (0)1-581-3900-10. English Cinema Haydn offers English language cinema in modernised surroundings that retain some traditional charm. Maria-Hilfer Strasse 57. Tel: +43 (0)1-587-2262. Naturally even Vienna isn't immune to the charms of Hollywood and modern multiplexes are located throughout the city. Cineplexx has several modern multiscreen cinemas. The most characteristic is The Apollo, although the films on offer are mainstream. Gumpendorferstrasse 63. Tel: +43 (0)1-587-9651. Cinema listings can be found in Fälter, the local events listing magazine available on all newsstands. If either "OF" or "OmU" appears after the title, the film is in its original language; "Omengu" after the title indicates English subtitles.

Nightclubs

Vienna has enough clubs to keep everyone happy and moving all night long and they are well spread out through the city. There are also plenty of specialist club nights and Vienna is firmly on the dance music scene with international DJs common visitors to the city's bigger clubs. Titanic is a perennial favourite, with Pan-American food, several bars and two dance floors. The perfect place to cruise the dance floor and sink a few drinks - without ice naturally. It's only open from Thursday to Saturday. Theobaldgasse 11. Something of a cult club in Vienna, U4 packs in a mixed bunch of party-goers on Tuesdays, while Thursday is gay night, and on Fridays a nostalgic crowd comes to relive their childhood to a whole night of tunes from the 80s. Schönbrunnerstrasse 222. Volksgarten Club Disco is definitely one of the places to be. It comprises the "Volksgarten Pavilion", a 1950s café with a view of the Hofburg and laid back music, along with the "Volksgarten Diskothek", one of the most popular clubs in Vienna featuring different types of music each night. Burgring 1. Don't be put off by the rather dodgy appearance of the place, Flex boasts one of the best sound systems around. This is the place for serious dancers to head for everything from drum'n'bass to house, jungle or alternative. There are regular guest DJs - check the listings for details. Schottenring/Donaukanal.

Special Events

Citizens of Vienna pour considerable energy into organising festivals, processions, street parties and concerts. These are some of the best: January In January Vienna's ball season kicks off in earnest with nearly 300 events, many of which are open to the public. April Osterklang (Sound of Easter), in early April, has performances by the Vienna Philharmonic and other musicians at various venues throughout the city. May Prater Events, in early May, takes place at Vienna's inimitable theme park and activities include processions and live concerts. To work off those strudel calories limber up for the Vienna Marathon in mid-May. The route plays out like a highly energetic sightseeing tour beginning at Schönbrunn and finishing up at the Rathaus. May/June The Vienna International Festival takes place annually in late May, lasting for six weeks. The programme comprises different areas of the Arts such as theatre, dance, opera, exhibitions as well as crossover projects, all taking place in various locations such as theatres, factories, museums and public spaces. October Every October the "Viennale", Austria's International Film Festival, screens features, documentaries, short films, and tributes. Tel: +43 (0)1-526-5947 for details. December Vienna's great, good and glamorous celebrate New Year's Eve at the Kaiserball, the Hofburg's traditional imperial ball and the one social event not to miss - if you can get a ticket.