VIENNA STATE OPERA ORCHESTRA

In 1918, when Austria changed from the Austrian-Hungarian empire to the Austrian Republic, the "Court Opera" became the Vienna State Opera, with the musicians in the orchestra and the singers in the chorus members of Austrian public services. Beside their official duties, the members of the orchestra constitute a private society, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1842 by members of the orchestra of the "Court Opera", to provide an outstanding concert orchestra for Vienna.

The Vienna Philharmonic consists only of musicians who were members of the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, but not each member of this orchestra is necessarily a member of the Vienna Philharmonic. Membership of the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra demands the special agreement of all colleagues. In 1927 the chorus of the Vienna State Opera founded a private choral society called the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor to provide an outstanding concert choir in addition to the singers' duties in the Opera House.

The orchestra and the chorus of the Vienna State Opera take part in every rehearsal and performance of the Vienna State Opera during the season from 1st September to 30th June. For all performances apart from their official duties, concerts in Vienna, on tour or special appearances, for example at the Salzburg Festival or for studio recordings, they use their private names, the Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic) and Konzertvereinigung WienerStaatsopernchor (Concert Union of the Vienna State Opera Chorus).

The Bühnenorchester der Österreichischen Bundestheater (Stage Orchestra of the Austrian Federal Theatres) was founded after the war to carry out special tasks on stage at the Vienna State Opera, Vienna Volksoper and the Burgtheater. They are not members of the normal orchestras. In 1999, when the Austrian Federal Theatres were reorganized, the Stage Orchestra of the Austrian Federal Theatres was affiliated to the Vienna State Opera, thus becoming the Stage Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera.

Albums featuring this artist are available for download from ClassicsOnline.com
BERG: Wozzeck (PAL)	100256
BIZET: Carmen / MOZART: Don Giovanni / BEETHOVEN: Fidelio (3 DVD box set)	2.103003
ENESCU: Oedipe	8.660163-64
GLIERE, R.: Symphony No. 3, "Il'ya Muromets" / The Red Poppy Suite (Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Scherchen) (1952)	9.80753-54
JOACHIM, J.: Schubert - Symphony in C major (Vienna State Opera, Prohaska) (1951)	9.80605
MACDOWELL, E.: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 (Rivkin) (1953)	9.80387
MASSENET: Werther (NTSC)	DVWW-OPWER
MEMORIES OF OLD VIENNA THEATRE (Gueden) (1954)	9.80285
MOZART, W.A.: Cosi fan tutte (Wiener Staatsoper, 1996) (NTSC)	2072368
MOZART: Don Giovanni (Vienna State Opera, 1999) (NTSC)	DVW-OPDG
MOZART: Sinfonia concertante, K. 364 / Eine kleine Nachtmusik / Ein musikalischer Spass (Prohaska) (1955)	9.80249
MUSSORGSKY: Khovanshchina	100310
OPERA HIGHLIGHTS, Vol. 1 (NTSC)	102047
OPERA HIGHLIGHTS, Vol. 3 (NTSC)	102051
PONCHIELLI: Gioconda (La) (Vienna State Opera, 1986) (PAL)	100232
PUCCINI: Turandot (Vienna State Opera, 1983) (NTSC)	DVWW-CLOPTUR
ROSSINI, G.: Opera Overtures (Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Rossi) (1954)	9.80696
SCHOENBERG: Moses und Aron (Vienna State Opera, 2006) (NTSC)	101259
SCHUBERT, F.: Symphony No. 7 (arr. F. Weingartner from 1821 sketches) (Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Litschauer) (1952)	9.80641
SCHUMANN, Elisabeth: Mozart and Viennese Operetta Aria Recordings (1926-1938)	8.111100
SCHUMANN, R.: Piano Concerto / Introduction and Allegro appassionato / Introduction and Concert Allegro (Demus) (1954)	9.80525
STRAUSS II, J.: Aschenbrodel (Vienna State Opera Ballet, 1999) (NTSC)	2055928
STRAUSS II, J.: Die Fledermaus	DV-CLOPDFM
STRAUSS II, J.: Die Fledermaus (The Bat) (Schwarzkopf, Gedda, Karajan) (1955)	8.111036-37
STRAUSS, R.: Elektra (Vienna State Opera, 1989) (NTSC)	100049
TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 (Farnadi, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Scherchen) (1954)	9.80662
VERDI: Don Carlos (Vienna State Opera, 2004) (NTSC)	DVWW-OPCARLOS
VERDI: Nabucco (NTSC)	DVWW-OPNAB
VERDI: Simon Boccanegra (Vienna State Opera, 2002) (NTSC)	DVWW-OPSIBOW
VERDI: Trovatore (Il) (Vienna State Opera, 1978) (PAL)	DV-CLOPIT
VIENNA STATE OPERA GALA (NTSC)	2054928
VIENNA STATE OPERA GALA (PAL)	2054929
WAGNER, R.: Siegfried (Ring Cycle 3) (Excerpts) (Melchior, Tessmer) (1929-1932)	8.110091-92
WAGNER: Lohengrin (PAL)	100956
WEILL: Street Scene (PAL)	100098