AMD 1

For AMD1 I stalked the Vienna State Opera and Vienna State Ballet to see what they are up to this season. The Vienna State Opera is like the Metropolitan Opera of Austria except it's far more enriched with tradition.

First I went through the Opera and Ballet season and they it should be a good one! The Vienna State Opera produces so many operas each year. With the excepetion of June and July you can basically go to a performance each night of the year. However, it doesn't look like they will be producing any new works this season. I assume this is because of the economy. It is a far greater risk to produce a new work rather than revamp a classic like Ariadne auf Naxos (the Opera Program at U-M will be doing this opera in March!).

The Ballet could be described as more forward thinking because they present the traditional works as well as  some very new and innovative pieces as well. One is a ballet version of Carmina Burana. This is usually a massive choral and orchestral piece, but companies sometimes create movement to go along with the text. (Michigan Opera Theatre did this last year with a Cirque du Soleil theme and a professor in the School of Music directed it. I heard it was amazing.)  Here is a link to the trailer for the Vienna State Ballet's version:

                                         Carmina Burana

One final thing that I think is so incredible is the Opernball that happens each year at the Vienna State Opera house. They create one massive dance floor by extending the stage all the way out into the audience. They ballet schools do a small presentation as well as the professional company. Then they give a small presentation with some notable opera singers. This event is definitely on my bucket list.