The Vienna Burgtheater was founded 270 years ago

Vienna/Prague - This March 14 marks the 270th anniversary of the establishment of one of the world's most famous theater scenes, the Vienna Burgtheater. At its inception was the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa, who in 1741 ordered the adaptation of an empty ballroom adjacent to the Hofburg and provided it to theater companies. The status of "German theater" was then granted to it by Maria Theresa's son, Joseph II. Since the end of the 18th century, it could proudly bear the title of "Imperial and Royal Court Theater." After 130 years of operation, in 1888, it permanently moved to a new building on the prestigious Ringstrasse, designed by architects Gottfried Semper and Karl Hasenauer. Initially, the new home of the arts did not evoke great enthusiasm, and especially due to its poor acoustics, it had to be remodeled soon after. Another major reconstruction awaited the theater after World War II, when it was significantly damaged by fire and bombing.
    Burgtheater, which has borne its current name since 1919, still maintains a high artistic standard to this day. Its premieres and productions regularly generate international acclaim, featuring prominent theater figures in performances and directing. The works of modern Czech playwrights, such as Pavel Kohout and Václav Havel, were performed here even while they were banned in the then Czechoslovakia as anti-regime. Pavel Landovský was also a member of the Burgtheater's acting ensemble after his emigration in the late 1970s.