On Artsworld, next Saturday, from 8.30pm (Sky Channel 157) live from Vienna
Vienna State Opera - 50th Anniversary of the Re-openingExclusive UK broadcast of the gala held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the re-opening of the Vienna State Opera
An exclusive UK broadcast of a gala from Vienna, held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the re-opening of one of the worlds leading opera houses, the Vienna State Opera.
The opera house was severely damaged during World War II, when the stage was destroyed by Allied bombs and the building was gutted by fire on March 12, 1945, just months before the official end of hostilities. While the foyer, with its frescoes by Moritz von Schwind, the main stairways, the vestibule and the tea room were spared, almost the entire décor and props for more than 120 operas with around 150,000 costumes were destroyed. Happily, the building was painstakingly reconstructed, and re-opened in 1955.
This special concert, performed in Vienna and broadcast the same evening on Artsworld, marks 50 years from the grand re-opening, and is expected to be one of the most talked-about opera and classical music events of the year.
It features opera stars such as Bryn Terfel and Placido Domingo, as well as excerpts from well-known operas such as Aida and Don Giovanni, and is presented by Richard Baker, who currently hosts BBC Radio 2s Your Hundred Best Tunes, and has introduced the Last Night of the Proms for 32 years. In addition, opera expert and journalist Charles Osborne - who, remarkably was at the original re-opening in 1955 - will also be on hand for additional information.
And don't forget, Artsworld is no longer subscription, and should be available to most Sky subscribers.
