Art & Culture
Film on the rise, but superstars are making themselves scarce
Hardly any other city is as synonymous with classical music and theater as Vienna. In part 3 of our series, we took a look at which cultural areas are catching up and where they are (still) lagging behind.
After the aftershow of the Metastadt Open Air was shut down by the city council in the summer - it was too loud - things got out of hand. Especially because the Arena, one of the city's oldest open-air venues, has been battling noise complaints from new residents for years.
Quiet at 10 pm?
In August, an amendment to the Events Act was finally announced: venues that have been in existence for more than 30 years may continue to be used even if there is construction work going on around them. And: If a closing time extension until 11 p.m. has been granted, the volume no longer has to be turned down at 10 p.m. either. This benefits venues such as the Arena, but not Metastadt.
As there is a lack of suitable venues in Vienna, organizers have already warned that events could move to the surrounding area, where they would have planning security. City Councillor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler: "Open airs are an important part of cultural diversity and will continue to play a central role in the future."
A dynamic art scene needs the corresponding freedom. That is why we are constantly evaluating the regulations.
Kulturstadträtin Veronica Kaup-Hasler
Bild: EVA MANHART / APA / picturedesk.com
The Danube Island Festival will take place from June 20 to 22, the Pop Festival on Karlsplatz from July 24 to 27. And the Kultursommer Wien (Vienna Summer of Culture) will also be taking place from June 26 to August 10.
Top stars are still in short supply live
The fact that it is still somewhat difficult to attract top international stars to Vienna is shown by the fact that Billie Eilish, for example, is only performing here for the first time this year.
Vienna on the upswing as a film location
In contrast, Vienna is developing rapidly as a film location. With its imperial backdrop, the city has always been a popular film location, including for Hollywood films. The days when Tom Cruise abseiled down from the Vienna State Opera in front of the camera for "Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation" are unforgettable. Titanic star Kate Winslet and Oscar winner Natalie Portman have also filmed in the Austrian capital.
The number of filming days is increasing rapidly
Those responsible have now also discovered Vienna as a filming and therefore business location. Last year, after less than two years of construction, the HQ7 film production halls at Alberner Hafen in Simmering went into operation. For the first time, Vienna-wide shooting days were also requested for 2023. For feature film and series productions alone, 827 shooting days were reported, while the estimated total number is around 3000 days. "Many of the measures taken to promote film are now having an effect," says City Councillor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler (SPÖ).
13.5 million euros
is the budget of the Vienna Film Fund in 2025, which the city has increased by two million euros.
The Vienna Film Commission, which acts as an interface between the city and the film industry, processed 652 national and international inquiries for film projects in 2023.
Incidentally, the most popular filming locations fall under the remit of MA 42: parks, green spaces, avenues and ball cages, followed by the many markets and the Danube Island and Danube Canal. But municipal buildings, the Vienna public transport system, the Prater and cemeteries are also popular.
Despite competition - cinemas are holding their own
Even cinemas, which have long been predicted to die, are holding their own. The mobile VOLXkino, which provides cineastes with free open-air screenings throughout Vienna in summer, has been expanding its program every Monday at the Meidlinger Gleis/Garten in winter since February. And the oldest cinema in the city, the Breitenseer Lichtspiele, which has been at Breitenseer Straße 21 in the 14th district since 1909, enjoys great popularity. However, blockbusters make the biggest sales.
Musicals and theater as a perennial success
The cultural success model par excellence, however, is above all the theaters and musicals. The Phantom of the Opera, which was launched at the Raimund Theater last year, has just been extended until June 2026 due to its great success.
"Maria Theresia - The Musical" is the latest in-house production by Vereinigte Bühnen Wien and will celebrate its premiere at the Ronacher on October 10. Since December, 12,000 tickets have already been sold - a record! A new musical hall is currently being built in the Prater until 2027.
But the theaters also attract thousands of spectators every day with their plays. The Burgtheater alone counted more than 330,000 guests.
This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.
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