Musiktheater Linz is an opera house in Linz, capital of Upper Austria. It was designed by British architect Terry Pawson and constructed between 2008 and 2013.
The official opening took place on 12 April 2013 with the premiere of the opera Traces of the Lost by Philip Glass, based on the play by Peter Handke.[1]
The old opera house of Linz was too small and not suitable for large productions. Therefore, after a heated discussion in the city and a long search for the best place, it was finally decided to build the new opera house close to the Volksgarten, not very far from the railway station. Political disputes over the location, two architectural competitions, and a referendum were the reasons for several years of delays in the start of construction.[2] Musiktheater Linz is a venue of the Linz State Theatre. The name "Music Theatre" is also its programme — operas, operettas, musicals and ballets are performed there.[3] The construction costs amounted to 186,4 million Euro, all covered by the state, the province and the city.[4]
Architecture
Architect Terry Pawson structured the façade with clean lines, aiming to create the feeling of a large curtain. This curtain stretches around three sides of the building and forms a large gateway facing the Volksgarten.[5]
From the entrance, a grand staircase leads to the main foyer. This is seven metres high and is also used for the intermissions. On the ground floor of the theatre there is also a restaurant and a café, both of which are open all day, making the theatre a public meeting place during the day. The entrance on the first floor leads to the auditorium. The rear of the building houses workshops, storage, and artist areas. The opera house has a large auditorium for 970 to 1,130 persons, a Black Box Studio Theatre with a capacity of 270 as well as a rehearsal hall for its orchestra,[5][6] the famous Bruckner Orchestra Linz.
Both productions were acclaimed by public and press. This stunning start set the tone for the following seasons, where Linz could prove its mastership in music theatre − Parsifal (2022),[10] the ballet The Sleeping Beauty (2022),[11]The Magic Flute (2024)[12] and Cats (2025)[13] received standing ovations and raving reviews.
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