Der Rosenkavalier Vienna

Der Rosenkavalier Opera Tickets — Richard Strauss at the Vienna State Opera

Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of the Rose) is one of the supreme masterpieces of the operatic repertoire and the most celebrated collaboration between composer Richard Strauss and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Described as a Komödie für Musik in drei Akten (Comedy for Music in Three Acts), the opera received its world premiere in Dresden on 26 January 1911 and has since become a cornerstone of the German-language operatic tradition. Immersed in the golden nostalgia of an idealized rococo Vienna, the opera weaves together comedy, philosophy, and heartbreaking emotional truth with a score of unparalleled richness and sophistication.

The story centres on the Marschallin, a great aristocratic lady who reflects with melancholy wisdom on the passing of time and the inevitability of losing her young lover Octavian to a younger woman. When the boorish Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau arrives seeking a noble messenger — the Knight of the Rose — to deliver a silver rose to his young bride-to-be Sophie, he sets in motion a cascade of comic intrigue and genuine feeling that culminates in one of opera's most achingly beautiful trio finales. Strauss's score moves with effortless mastery between sparkling parlando, sweeping Viennese waltzes, and moments of luminous, ineffable beauty.

The Vienna State Opera presents this legendary production directed by Otto Schenk, with stage designs by Rudolf Heinrich — first staged on 13 April 1968 with Leonard Bernstein conducting, and lovingly revived ever since. The 2026 cast features Camilla Nylund as the Marschallin, Samantha Hankey as Octavian, Nikola Hillebrand as Sophie, and Günther Groissböck as Baron Ochs, under the baton of conductor Alexander Soddy.

• Venue: Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper), Main Stage — Opernring 2, 1010 Vienna, Austria
• Performances: 9, 12, 15 & 18 May 2026 — starting at 18:00
• Running Time: Approx. 4 hours 15 minutes — three acts with two intermissions
• Composer: Richard Strauss
• Libretto: Hugo von Hofmannsthal
• Genre: Opera / Komödie für Musik
• Language: German (with English surtitles)
• Director: Otto Schenk
• Sets & Costumes: Rudolf Heinrich / Erni Kniepert
• Conductor: Alexander Soddy
• Principal Cast: Camilla Nylund, Samantha Hankey, Nikola Hillebrand, Günther Groissböck, Michael Spyres
• World Premiere: Dresden, Hofoper, 26 January 1911
• Getting There: U1, U2, U4 – Karlsplatz; Tram 1, 2, D – Oper/Karlsplatz

Book your Der Rosenkavalier tickets now and experience one of opera's greatest works in one of the world's greatest houses. This celebrated production at the Vienna State Opera in May 2026 is an unmissable occasion for any lover of music, theatre, and the enduring magic of Richard Strauss.