Vienna Volksoper: Ballett - Marie Antoinette

Thierry Malandain’s ballet, premiered in 2019 by Malandain Ballet Biarritz at the Opéra Royal of Versailles the very house inaugurated by Marie Antoinette traces the queen’s glittering rise and tragic fall. Set to music by her contemporaries Joseph Haydn and Christoph Willibald Gluck, the work follows her arrival at court, the royal wedding, the celebratory opening of the opera (with a *Persée* “ballet within the ballet”), the ill-fated flight from Paris, and the whirl of soirées that defined her image.

Malandain’s signature neoclassicism, tinged with baroque gesture, gives the choreography a refined, modern clarity while evoking the period’s ceremonial poise. His portrait balances spectacle and intimacy: a sovereign drawn to luxury and display, yet manipulated by family, court, and public opinion, and ultimately isolated. The ballet’s final cadence acknowledges her “calamitous fate” the curtain falling not on comedy but on history’s steel leaving a resonant meditation on image, power, and the loneliness behind a legend.

The Volksoper Wien, or Vienna People's Opera, is one of Vienna's major opera houses. It's located in the 9th district and is renowned for its diverse programming that includes operas, operettas, musicals, and ballets. Founded in 1898 originally as a straightforward theatre, it has developed into a globally recognized venue for accessible performances of a wide range of musical theater genres.

The Volksoper is Vienna's leading house for operetta, the lighter, more accessible cousin of opera, often involving spoken dialogue alongside music. It serves as a complement to the more formal Wiener Staatsoper, offering performances that appeal to a broader audience, including children and families. The repertoire includes classics by composers such as Johann Strauss, Franz Lehár, and Emmerich Kálmán, alongside well-known operas and popular musicals.

The Volksoper also has a commitment to cultivating new talents and features performances by up-and-coming artists as well as established stars. With approximately 300 performances a year, it plays a pivotal role in Vienna's cultural scene, providing entertainment that is both high in quality and varied in style. This opera house is an integral part of Vienna's rich musical heritage, offering a more casual and inclusive approach to the performing arts.