Vienna State Opera confronts its Nazi past with new exhibition and ‘Fidelio’ revival

From wartime ruins to cultural icon, the opera house now faces its past head-on. A new *Fidelio* and a haunting exhibition reveal what was long silenced. Can art heal history’s deepest wounds?

, and Administrator

2025 November 6 . 9:13 AM

1 min read

This is the picture of a museum plaque on which there is something written and also we can see some... — This is the picture of a museum plaque on which there is something written and also we can see some sculptures on it.

Vienna State Opera confronts its Nazi past with new exhibition and ‘Fidelio’ revival

The Vienna State Opera, a prestigious institution, has a complex history that includes its involvement with Nazi figures and a delayed reckoning with that past. Now, it prepares for a new production of 'Fidelio' and displays an exhibition about its history.

The State Opera's history with Nazism was not openly addressed until the late 1980s and early 1990s. This followed a long period of silence, even after the opera house was rebuilt and reopened in 1955 with Beethoven's 'Fidelio'.

The opera house's architect, Eduard van der Nüll, died by suicide in 1868, possibly due to harsh criticism before its opening. The building itself was destroyed in a bombing during World War II and later rebuilt by Erich Boltenstern, who maintained a moderate architectural style.

Today, a small exhibition in the balcony corridor explores the opera house's history. In 2020, a memorial plaque was unveiled to honor the members expelled during the Nazi era. Despite initial criticism comparing it to a train station or military defeat, the State Opera has since become a symbol of Vienna's cultural heritage.

The Vienna State Opera, with its complex past, continues to evolve. It prepares for a new production of 'Fidelio' on December 16, 2022, while also acknowledging and displaying its history, including its involvement with Nazism and the expulsion of members during that era.