Dances – Pictures – Symphonies (Tänze Bilder Sinfonien): Vienna State Ballet, September 17th, 2021
When I think of the present situation of the Opera House, I can only say that it is surely not easy to be in Bogdan Roščić’s place and position at the moment. The combination of the Corona Pandemic and the intention, nearly a self-imposition of reinventing/creating something new for the image of the most established cultural symbol in the country (and one of the few valuable „visit cards“ that Austria possesses to represent us abroad) is not an easy one. Sometimes I wonder why new management teams (in fact, in all sectors of the economy) always insist on the reinvention/creation of something new instead of evaluating the good and positive things that were done before and perfecting them. Vanity? Last Night’s repetition of the „three ballets evening“ – a formula so much loved in America, due to a certain cultural deficiency (The Viennese and Tourist audiences prefer narrative ballets) – is not really a big help or a special achievement economically and in terms of occupancy, a problem that must be causing strong headaches. Yesterday’s performance shallowly seems to have been well visited but, because of the lack of interest, tickets were/are being sold with a 30% discount for all Ballet performances throughout September so that a certain occupancy can be achieved – with minus 30% incomings…. This situation is quite far from being a satisfactory, rosy one (Especially, this as information to all my readers abroad, because the Vienna State Opera is financed by Taxpayer’s money). It is not easy to create something new…
Copyright: Ricardo Leitner
Ricardo Leitner / attitude