Lehar Theater
Adresse: Kreuzplatz 16
A-4820 Bad Ischl
+43/06132/21495
06132/21495
Email: office@lehartheater.at
The Lehar Theater is located in the heart of the spa town of
Bad Ischl and has long been one of the most famous and beloved
summer theaters in Austria. Its history began back in 1793, when
the local theater became cramped in the attic of the artist
Lucas Krall, where it was then located, and it became necessary
to erect its own building. For these purposes, Dr. Franz Wierer
provided his own land plot, and the architect Franz Ferdinand
Edangler created the Ischl spa theater, as it was then called.
The theater of that time had a rather small stage, and the
auditorium could accommodate no more than 400 people, including
seating and standing places. From 1827 to 1947, during the
summer period, regular theatrical and operetta performances were
held here. The Ishler Spa Orchestra provided musical
accompaniment, but it could only do so in bad weather. In 1857
the theater acquired its own orchestra. Ischl has always been a
place of attraction for the Austrian nobility, and later even
became the summer residence of the Kaiser, so the theater did
not lack a noble audience.
Such famous persons as Max
Devrient, Johann Nestroy, Alexander Girardi, Isadora Duncan and
many others performed on its stage at different times. Johann
Strauss and Franz Lehar were at the conductor's stand several
times. After the First World War, actors from the leading
theaters in Vienna and Linz became regulars on the stage. In
1921 the first film show took place here. Currently, the Lehar
Theater is used for showing films, holding musical evenings,
concerts, cabaret performances.
Opened on April 28, 1827, the Lehar theater Bad Ischl is one of
the most historic venues in Austria.
Due to the summer
presence of the emperor, the theater shone at the time with a
top-class audience and a balanced, almost metropolitan repertoire:
The range spanned in drama, opera and operetta from works by
Ferdinand Raimund, Bauernfeld to Grillparzer's "Sappho",
Anzengruber's "pastor of Kirchfeld" ", the premiere of Schnitzler's"
Anatol ", by Rossini and Nicolai's" Lustigen Weibern "for Konradin
Kreutzer's" Night Camp ". As well as to Verdi's "Traviata", in the
operetta by Johann Strauss, who also conducted here himself, and
Offenbach via Lehár and Kalman to Oscar Straus and Robert Stolz.
The impetus for building the theater was provided by Dr. Wirer.
The spa doctor at the time was convinced that medical healing would
be more effective when patients felt mentally exhilarated and
stimulated relaxation.
For this reason, a stock corporation
was founded in the mid-twenties in the 19th century, which had the
theater built on Kreuzplatz. On November 1st, 1827, the Bad Ischl
community took over the care of the theater.