Counterpoint and Harmony, Music in Vienna

Vienna and music are inseparable. The passion for music in Vienna has guided and nurtured Western music since the 17th century, and has attracted some of the greatest musicians and composers that have ever lived to the city: Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, and dozens upon dozens of others. On this Vienna Opera tour with a local historian, we’ll visit sites associated with the major figures of music history, learning how music has shaped Viennese society and tracing the roots of beloved classical music traditions which are still practiced today.

We'll begin by tracing a course through the city's 1st District (also the site of our Vienna Walking Tour), stopping at some of the notable corners where famous musical residents spent time or left a mark. We’ll marvel at the exterior of the State Opera, where many an aspiring young singer has dreamed of debuting. Just a few blocks away, we may stop at the Theater Museum, which houses a charming collection of set models and costumes, as well as the grand “Eroica Hall,” named after Beethoven’s Third Symphony.

As one of the most popular outlets for classical music in Vienna, this walk will also dive into opera, which Wagner conceived as Gesamtkunstwerk—“complete artwork.” The fusion of music, drama, and visual arts, such as costumes and set design, have long made this tradition a central part of Vienna’s musical history. During a visit to the Theater an der Wien, our guide will paint a picture of life in the theater, making reference to notable operatic works and peppering the walk with anecdotes drawn out of history and contemporary opera culture. Using art and architecture to help these stories come to life before us, we’ll immerse ourselves in Imperial Vienna and the music that has long made it soar. (For more on the opulence of Imperial Vienna, try our Schonbrunn Palace Tour.)

Although music lovers will be enthralled, this walk is designed and geared for any culturally curious person. Day to day, group to group, the walk will differ, depending on the interests of the participants as well as the intellectual and professional background of the guide. We may make stops at the Mozart House, seek out statues and monuments sprinkled throughout the city center, discuss the avant-garde composers of the Second Viennese School, or explore the history of the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic. No matter which route we take to weave past the haunts of Vienna’s great composers, we’ll come away with a deeper understanding of how musical arts and this refined city have become beautifully and irreversibly intertwined.

Does your walk include the interior of the State Opera House?
No, this tour does not go inside of the Opera House due to guiding restrictions. Though we can include the interior on a custom basis, availability is quite limited and depends on venue availability.