Felsenreitschule

The Felsenreitschule came into being in the 17th century at the site where conglomerate stone for building the present cathedral was quarried. Under Archbishop Johann Ernst Thun, the Felsenreitschule was carved from the rock of the Mönchsberg, according to plans by the baroque master builder Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. At that time the Felsenreitschule was used for animal baiting and riding displays.
The public watched from 96 arcades arranged in three tiers. In 1926 Max Reinhardt first undertook the experiment of using the Felsenreitschule for a Festival production, staging Goldoni´s The Servant of Two Masters. In 1933 Clemens Holzmeister erected the so-called "Faust city" there, some of the most impressive stage scenery ever. Herbert von Karajan first used the Felsenreitschule to perform an operatic production, Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, in 1948.
There was a major transformation in 1969/70, again according to plans by Clemens Holzmeister. The 40 m stage was enlarged by a 4 m deep area beneath the stage. Collapsable seating for the audience with storage space for scenery underneath was added, as was a lighting gantry. To protect the stage a retractable roof was installed with a fine grille above it to dampen the sound of the rain. This roof can be slid open. The Felsenreitschule holds an audience of 1.437.

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INFORMATIONEN

The Felsenreitschule came into being in the 17th century at the site where conglomerate stone for building the present cathedral was quarried. Under Archbishop Johann Ernst Thun, the Felsenreitschule was carved from the rock of the Mönchsberg, according to plans by the baroque master builder Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. At that time the Felsenreitschule was used for animal baiting and riding displays.
The public watched from 96 arcades arranged in three tiers. In 1926 Max Reinhardt first undertook the experiment of using the Felsenreitschule for a Festival production, staging Goldoni´s The Servant of Two Masters. In 1933 Clemens Holzmeister erected the so-called "Faust city" there, some of the most impressive stage scenery ever. Herbert von Karajan first used the Felsenreitschule to perform an operatic production, Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, in 1948.
There was a major transformation in 1969/70, again according to plans by Clemens Holzmeister. The 40 m stage was enlarged by a 4 m deep area beneath the stage. Collapsable seating for the audience with storage space for scenery underneath was added, as was a lighting gantry. To protect the stage a retractable roof was installed with a fine grille above it to dampen the sound of the rain. This roof can be slid open. The Felsenreitschule holds an audience of 1.437.