Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos is performed at the Vienna State Opera during the 2026–27 season. Elegant, witty and deeply theatrical, this opera brings together myth, comedy and reflection on the nature of love — a refined choice for visitors looking for Strauss in Vienna.
Performance details
- Venue: Vienna State Opera
- Language: German
- Subtitles: English and German
- Intermission: no intermission
Ticket information
- Secure official tickets for the Vienna State Opera
- E-tickets sent by email after purchase
- Seats are together unless otherwise stated
Strauss’s elegant opera about love, theatre and transformation
Ariadne auf Naxos is one of Strauss’s most original stage works. Its unusual structure moves from backstage intrigue to mythological drama, setting the world of high opera against the playful energy of comedy.
At the heart of the opera is Ariadne, abandoned on the island of Naxos and clinging to an ideal of absolute love. Around her, Zerbinetta and her troupe bring wit, movement and a very different view of life. The result is a brilliant mixture of seriousness and play, melancholy and sparkle — very Viennese, very Strauss, and wonderfully theatrical.
- Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst / Asher Fisch
- Production: Barrie Kosky
- Stage: Rufus Didwiszus
- Costumes: Victoria Behr
- Lighting: Franck Evin
- The Composer: Kate Lindsey
- Bacchus: Daniel Behle
- Zerbinetta: Serena Sáenz
- Ariadne: Golda Schultz / Christina Nilsson
- Harlekin: Jusung Gabriel Park
Cast may vary by performance date.
More Strauss and opera performances in Vienna
Discover more performances at the Vienna State Opera, including Richard Strauss, German-language opera and other highlights of the 2026–27 season.
- Vienna State Opera tickets
- Opera in Vienna
- Salome at the Vienna State Opera
- Arabella at the Vienna State Opera
- Die tote Stadt at the Vienna State Opera
