© VBW / Deen van MeerThe VBW’s autumn of musicals takes off
Record sales for two shows
A big thank-you to our audiences! I AM FROM AUSTRIA held its grand premiere in Vienna and our two autumn productions triggered the highest number of pre-sales since records began: together, the two musicals have kicked off the new season with sales of over 160,000 tickets.
Raimund Theater
On Saturday, the VBW opened its autumn of musicals with the wildly successful world premiere of I AM FROM AUSTRIA and sensational pre-sales for the new season at the Raimund Theater and the Ronacher. The world premiere of the VBW’s in-house production by the Artistic Director of Musicals, Christian Struppeck, featuring Rainhard Fendrich’s greatest hits of was a huge hit with the opening night audience, with director Andreas Gergen’s creative team and the entire cast receiving resounding applause.
The Ronacher
Meanwhile, on-stage and off at the Ronacher, all hands are on deck preparing for this autumn’s second great musical highlight. To great audience demand, DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES is returning to Vienna on 30 September in its twentieth anniversary year. With two weeks to go before the curtain rises at the VBW’s other musical theatre, both productions have seen sensational pre-sales, higher than in any previous season.
As the Managing Director Prof. Dr. Franz Patay says, “The season opening this weekend has given the VBW has had every reason to celebrate. Musicals have always been appreciated in Vienna, but to have sold around 80,000 tickets each for “I Am From Austria” and “Dance of the Vampires” right at the start of the season is extraordinary even for us. The decision of our owners, the City of Vienna, to operate four musical theatres in Vienna meets our audiences needs and shows how right that decision was.”
The VBW’s Artistic Director of Musicals, Christian Struppeck, says, “That this world premiere has proved such a successful season opener shows what a passion our audiences have for musicals. But the Raimund Theater, where “I am From Austria” has had such a tremendously successful reception, is not staging the only premiere. At the Ronacher, too, the curtain will soon be rising daily on our second autumn premiere: “Dance of the Vampires” is returning to Vienna in its twentieth anniversary year and our audiences are already eagerly anticipating it. This is a splendid start to our new season for which I should like to thank our audiences. I wish them many happy evenings at our theatres.”
