Historic: Vienna Opera House to stage first opera written by a woman

In a historic moment, Olga Neuwirth's Orlando is all set to become the first Opera to be opened by a woman. Staged at the Vienna opera house was Olga's adaption of Virginia Woolf's Orlando. The piece reportedly deals with duality and trans identity. Over its 150 years of existence, the Vienna State Opera has seen several star performers and has also experienced unique historic moments in its incredible musical journey. However, the one significant accomplishment it was yet to fulfil is staging an opera that was written by a woman.

First Opera opened by a woman

According to reports, Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando is a biography. Orlando is a trans novel and masterfully explores gender fluidity, Neuwirth is said to have read it when she was 15 and has reportedly remained one of her favourite stories since. In an interview, Neuwirth said she really wishes to shake up the old-fashioned, beautiful and wonderful place, she was referring to the Vienna Opera House.

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Orlando is the story of a remarkable human being who at the start of Woolf's novel is a young man in Elizabethan England who explores and questions every kind of duality. The piece according to Olga is about freedom of speech and about a person choosing who they are in life. Neuwirth has planned a 19-scene opera that continues till the present day. The piece will feature Orlando's descendent who will be played by transgender American cabaret artist Justin Vivian Bond, alongside a cast of classically trained opera singers.

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The 150-year-old Vienna Opera House is a prestigious and ornate auditorium which can house 1,709 seats and was reportedly the first major building to be constructed on the Vienna Ring Road in Austria. Work commenced on the house in 1861 and was completed in 1869 and it was built in the Neo-Renaissance style by renowned Czech architect and contractor Josef Hlávka.

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