Municipal theater opens

Fulminant opening with stars on the red carpet

Erich Arthold, President of the Vienna Boys' Choir, host Maria Großbauer, former President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka and Member of Parliament Kurt Egger at the ceremonial opening of the Stadttheater.(Bild: Doris_SEEBACHER)

The opening gala of the newly renovated Stadttheater in Wiener Neustadt took place on Friday - with a magnificent concert by the Niederösterreichische Tonkünstler and a beaming Maria Großbauer, who greeted each of her guests personally on the red carpet. 

In addition to the Austrian singer-songwriter Ina Regen, the Niederösterreichische Tonkünstler received prominent support from star violinist Lidia Baich. She played her way into the hearts of the audience on an original Mozart violin. First with Mozart himself, then with a work of her own.

Andreas Schager sang Nessun Dorma
Tenor Andreas Schager, who comes from Rohrbach an der Gölsen in Lower Austria, sang a wonderful "Nessun Dorma" from the opera "Turandot". And the 18-year-old musical talent Samuel Neubauer enchanted the guests with his clarinet sounds. Ina Regen and Andreas Schager then performed an encore together, accompanied by the Tonkünstler and Lidia Baich. 

Prominent guests enjoyed the evening

But celebrities were not only on stage. Maria Großbauer, Managing Director of the Stadttheater, welcomed each of her guests from the worlds of politics and culture in person. These included actor Johannes Krisch, former President of the Salzburg Festival Helga Rabl-Stadler, opera singer Birgit Sarata, actress Maria Happel and, of course, Wiener Neustadt's Mayor Klaus Schneeberger and Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner.