Theater in der Josefstadt, Theatre in Josefstadt, Vienna, Austria
Theater in der Josefstadt occupies a tall white building on a street in Vienna's 8th district, its flat facade marked by arched ground-floor doorways and the inscription "THEATER IN DER JOSEFSTADT" above the entrance. Rows of rectangular windows with thin mouldings rise across the upper floors, and banners hang on the facade. The auditorium was redesigned in 1923–24 by Gustav Orglmeister for Max Reinhardt after Venice's Teatro La Fenice.
Actor Karl Mayer founded the theater in late October 1788 in the rear courtyard of an inn at Kaiserstraße 93, making it the oldest theater still in use in Vienna. After the original house proved too small, it was demolished and rebuilt by Joseph Kornhäusel in 1822, reopening with Beethoven conducting his overture Die Weihe des Hauses. Max Reinhardt took over the house in 1924 after a renovation financed by Camillo Castiglioni.
The theater presents classical and modern drama performances that draw audiences from across Vienna. These productions have shaped the cultural life of the neighborhood for generations.
The theater is located in Vienna's 8th district and easily accessible by public transport. Visitors can arrange tours on-site or stop by the box office to learn about current productions.
On 14 January 1847 Ludwig Döbler showed moving images at the theater with a Laterna magica, the first such demonstration in Vienna; the device was an invention of the Tyrolean mathematician Simon Stampfer. The white facade carries the inscription "THEATER IN DER JOSEFSTADT" above the entrance.
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