Vienna is already one of the most important cities in the world for musicals and theater. But soon a new cultural venue will be added. It is nothing less than the largest privately financed theater project of the past 100 years that is to be built in the Wurstelprater: the new theater in the Prater. With 1800 seats, it could then be one of the most important venues in the country.

On Wednesday afternoon, the plans were presented in the MuseumsQuartier Libelle to a high-profile audience. City Councillor for Economic Affairs Peter Hanke (SPÖ) wants to make Vienna one of Europe's leading musical venues. "This project is a decisive addition to the city's cultural and tourist profile. I am particularly pleased about the expected positive economic effects, as we expect this to strengthen Vienna as a business location in the long term," said Hanke.

Visitor numbers to double
In addition to the renowned theaters such as the Raimund Theater and the Ronacher, the new musical theater is to be the third location to increase the number of visitors from 500,000 a year to one million. The potential for this apparently exists. The impressive sum of 100 million euros is being invested in the construction of the theater. But who will bear the costs?

The international company ATG Entertainment, the top dog in the musical segment in Europe. The City of Vienna will act as a strategic partner, emphasizes Hanke. There are no subsidies. There is support from the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Wien Holding. And which show will the show giant bring to Vienna?

If the leading event company has its way, the Viennese can look forward to it. "The stage will be suitable for absolute blockbusters," enthuses Joachim Hilke, CEO Europe of ATG Entertainment. "Moulin Rouge", "The Lion King" and the "Harry Potter" musical are currently among the three most prominent shows in the program. The first premiere could be celebrated three years from today. The opening is planned for the end of 2027.

Musical theater as a revenue generator: the next hit is about to start

The figures speak for themselves: half a million people flock to the musical performances of the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien (VWB) every year: And the trend is clearly rising. There is also great economic potential behind this, as the Vienna Chamber of Commerce calculates and can already hear the cash registers ringing. After all, there are also a lot of tourists among the visitors.

Of the 18 million overnight stays per year in Vienna, around 3 million are related to culture. This is also confirmed by the Vienna Tourist Board. "Vienna's wide-ranging music and cultural offerings - which also include musicals - have attracted guests from all over the world for many years," says Vienna's Head of Tourism Norbert Kettner. Three quarters of guests cite Vienna's sights and the city's wide range of cultural attractions as the main reason for their trip. A quarter even state that they attended a music event in the city during their stay. If those responsible in the city have their way, the new theater in the Prater will further boost Vienna as a cultural location.

A development that was pursued over decades. The Vereinigte Bühnen Wien has created some of the most successful German-language musicals, some of which are already legendary today. Among the best known are "Elisabeth", the life and tragedy of the Austrian empress, and "Dance of the Vampires" - a humorous and dark vampire story. The musical "Rebecca" was also an absolute success story.

Over 30 million people in 24 countries around the world have now seen a musical by Vereinigte Bühnen Wien (VWB). The Vereinigte Bühnen continue to pursue their strategy of developing plays themselves and offering attractive Austrian content for a national and global musical audience.

The Falco musical "Rock Me Amadeus" has just been extended for a further season due to its great success, with almost 100 percent capacity utilization. The next major VBW in-house production has already been announced for October 2025: a musical about Empress Maria Theresa. According to Vereinigte Bühnen Wien, advance sales are going extremely well.

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