Theater auf der Wieden

The Theater auf der Wieden, also called the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden or the Wiednertheater, was a theater located in the then-suburban Wieden district of Vienna in the late 18th century. It existed for only 14 years (1787–1801), but during this time it was the venue for the premiere of no fewer than 350 theatrical works, of which the most celebrated was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera The Magic Flute. During most of this period the director of the theater was Emanuel Schikaneder, remembered today as librettist and impresario of The Magic Flute.

The "Freihaus" was a large complex of businesses and residences belonging to the Starhemberg family. It was located at the northern edge of the Wiedner suburb, separated from the inner city by the "Glacis", the ring of open land that surrounded inner Vienna for purposes of military defense.

The Freihaus attracted intensive development because by an earlier Imperial decree (1647) it was free from taxation. The complex was called the "Starhembergische Freihaus" ("free-house of the Starhembergs"), from which was derived the name "Freihaus-Theater".

Christian Rossbach, a theater director who had already been successfully mounting productions in Vienna for several years, made an application to build a new theater in the Freihaus. This was approved 16 March 1787, and construction began, following a design by the architect Andreas Zach. The building was completed within six months and was opened for its first performance on 14 October.

The theater was a three-story structure having a divided parterre (ground level) and two galleries (balconies). The external walls and roof were of brick and the interior was of wood. According to Krzeszowiak the theater had "very good acoustics". No description of the theater's capacity survives. The dimensions of the theater were 30 by 15 meters; Buch judges that the theater must have held over 500 spectators; Honolka estimates 800, then 1000 following an expansion carried out by Emanuel Schikaneder.

The stage area was substantial, forming 12 meters of the 30 meter length of the building. Honolka judges that it was "planned from the beginning for opulent scenic design." Examining the plays and librettos of Emanuel Schikaneder, Buch infers "a mechanical stage with three trap doors, movable flats and backdrops, and devices to accommodate flying machines, storms, sea battles, and similar effects."

The founding director was Christian Rossbach, who served from October 1787 to March 1788. Rossbach's venture lasted only a few months and ended in financial failure, despite a dispensation from the Emperor to perform during Lent. He first tried playing in cheaper venues in Vienna, then left Vienna with half of his troupe to play the provinces in Moravia.

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Wikipedia