It’s doesn’t have to be only Mozart and Strauss when it comes to stage entertainment of an evening in Vienna. How about a show or a musical?
- Various locations suited to international visitors
- Musicals typically come with English surtitles
- Book an evening concert* in a historical venue
- See also:
Jump to:
- Musicals (Ronacher & Raimund theatres, Volksoper, Stadthalle)
- Shows (Remassuri, Mirage, dinner show, Magic World)
What shows are on?
Let us begin with a bit of musical magic, before exploring main show options (some of which also involve magic).
Musicals
The city owned Vereinigte Bühnen Wien (VBW) is the home of musicals in Vienna, with long runs of local and international productions at two prime locations: the Ronacher and the Raimund Theater. Two other locations with occasional one-off productions are the Stadthalle and Volksoper.
Ronacher
(Inside the Ronacher; press photo © VBW & Rupert Steiner)
The first performance at this venue was back in September 1872. Needless to say, like most historical locations, the building has gone through many changes since. Any German language productions today usually have English surtitles (check with the website for where to sit so you can see them clearly).
I have fond memories of watching The Dance of the Vampires at the Ronacher many years ago.
Current schedule
- Rock me Amadeus (until June 28th, 2025): a biographical musical around Austrian pop legend Falco. German with English Surtitles
- Maria Theresia – the Musical (October 10th, 2025 to January 31st, 2026): another biographical musical, this time for the grand Habsburg empress, who has her own giant monument on the square named after her. German with English Surtitles. This is the world premiere for the production
Getting there
The theatre lies in the centre of Vienna and a short walk from three subway stations: Stephansplatz (on the U3 and U1 lines), Stubentor (U3) and Stadtpark (U4). The Weihburggasse stop (served by tram line 2) on the nearby Ring is even closer.
Address: Seilerstätte 9, 1010 Vienna | Tickets etc.
Raimund Theater
(The lovely Raimund Theater; press photo © Sandra Kosel)
A little younger than the Ronacher: the Raimund Theater’s first performance was as recent as November, 1893. The establishment reopened in 2021 after a major refurbishment.
I saw the musical Rebecca there twice in 2024 (because it was excellent) and enjoyed a nice pre-show meal in the nearby Ristorante Al Teatro L’idea.
As with the Ronacher, German shows usually have English surtitles (again, check the website for seating suggestions for the best view of the surtitles).
Current schedule
- Phantom of the Opera (until December 31st, 2025): Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical based on the book by Gaston Leroux. German with English Surtitles
Getting there
The theatre is fairly central in one of the inner districts. Although the U6 subway station Gumpendorfer Straße is close, it’s probably easiest to walk down from Westbahnhof (on the U3 and U6 subway lines as well as tram lines 5, 6, 9, 18, 52 and 60).
Trams 6 and 18 take you to the Gumpendorfer stop. You can also walk up from the U4 subway station Margaretengürtel.
Address: Wallgasse 18-20, 1060 Vienna | Tickets etc.
Other major musical venues
(The Volksoper: an opera house but with a diverse programme)
- Vienna’s main all-round event venue is probably the Stadthalle. It hosted for example, the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1967 and 2016
The schedule features concerts, fairs, sports events, and similar, but also short-run (just a couple of days) musicals. So you might be lucky. Check their website for the coming programme and with the box office on language availability if not clarified in event descriptions.
- As one of Vienna’s three great opera houses, the Volksoper tends to focus on (surprise) opera and particularly operettas. But they also feature the occasional musical like The Sound of Music. As with the Stadthalle, review the programme at their website
The Volksoper has a surtitle facility, but check language information in the programme descriptions.
Shows
Moving on to a few shows: I’ve picked out those I’ve come across that are pitched as suitable for international audiences, too.
Remassuri
(Enjoy classic Viennese tunes and entertainments)
Hosted by the stadtTheater, Remassuri takes you on a journey through the past and present of Viennese music and entertainment with performances on two to three days a week.
The 75-minute show features a diverse mix of elements that include music, song, mime, dance, shadow plays and more. So plenty to enjoy, even if you don’t speak German (the programme folder comes in both English and German).
The word Remassuri derives from the Viennese version of German for what we might describe as, for example, a jumble of fun.
The creative brains behind the show include André Heller (award-winning multi-faceted artist and cultural manager), Ursula Strauss (leading Austrian actress and singer), and Ernst Molden (well-known writer and musician in the Viennese tradition).
Getting there
The stadtTheater is right in the centre, just around the corner from the state opera house. As such, it’s easily reached by subway. Take the U1, U2 or U4 to Karlsplatz and walk up. Alternatively, jump on tram lines 1, 2, D or 71 to the Oper/Karlsplatz stop.
Address: Walfischgasse 4 1010 Vienna | Tickets etc.
The Mirage
The Prater entertainment complex has much to offer, including the Riesenrad giant ferris wheel. It also has the big top Mirage venue, which puts on various regular burlesque, magic, and music shows.
I know these two regulars are compered in English:
- The Strauss Dinner Show: a four-course menu accompanied by the music of Strauss with a host, the Strauss Philharmonie orchestra, soloists, ballet dancers, and even audience interaction
- The Burlesque Spectacular: another dinner show with a band and traditional burlesque performances
How to get there
The Mirage is near the start of the Prater pedestrianised area. If arriving by taxi, go to Freudplatz 2. If by public transport, the Messe-Prater subway station on the U2 line is about five minutes walk away.
Address: Prater 75, 1020 Wien | Strauss tickets* | Burlesque tickets*
Austrian Dinner Show
(The surrounds are pretty impressive, too)
Located in the Wiener Rathauskeller below the giant neogothic Rathaus city hall. The 2.5 hours worth of entertainments consist of three elements:
- A three-course food menu (note the main course is beef at the time of writing)
- Show elements between the courses. Musicians, singers, and dancers perform traditional pieces associated with the Alps, Salzburg, and Vienna
- Viennese music (with a strong contribution from our man Strauss again) accompanying the meal itself
How to get there
The Rathaus is, inevitably, very central. It has its own subway stop on the U2 line (called Rathaus) and two tram stops next to the Rathausplatz square and park in front of the building: Rathausplatz/Burgtheater (trams 1, D and 71) and Parlament (tram 2).
Address: Rathausplatz 1, 1010 Vienna | Tickets*
Magic World
Another option in the Prater at the opposite end of the pedestrianised zone and on the same square as the ferris wheel. As the name suggests, the location hosts magic shows and often features some of Europe and the world’s very best practitioners of the arcane arts.
The international shows are in English, and the listings tend to make the performance language clear. If not, just check with the box office.
How to get there
Like the Mirage, the show has a nearby subway station: Praterstern on the U1 and U2 lines that have stops in the very centre of town.
Address: Riesenradplatz 6, 1020 Vienna | Tickets etc.
Finally, don’t forget to check out all my suggestions for evening entertainment.