A New Home for Young Voices: Nest Second Season Unfolds

NEST of the Vienna State Opera [ENA] On December 7, 2024, Vienna’s cultural map was redrawn with the opening of NEST—short for “NEue STaatsoper”—a venue dedicated to young artists and audiences. Housed in the Künstlerhaus at Karlsplatz, the once ornamental “Französischer Saal” has been transformed into a fully equipped theatre with 252 seats, backed by the Vienna State Opera, the Haselsteiner Family Private Foundation, STRABAG SE, and others.

NEST is designed to make opera accessible, relevant, and deeply participatory for younger generations. The first season set an ambitious tone: Thierry Tidrow’s whimsical opera "Sagt der Walfisch zum Thunfisch", directed by Sara Ostertag, opened the house with humour and heart. Nearly 100 events followed, featuring the Opera School, Opera Studio, Ballet Academy, and Youth Company of the Vienna State Opera. Now entering its second season, NEST dives deeper into youth-centered programming. One of the most anticipated premieres is "Musketiere!" (from December 3, 2025), which reimagines the classic Dumas tale with a bold female D’Artagnan and a magical croissant threatening to unravel the unity of the Musketeers.

The tone is irreverent, the themes pointed, and the format highly accessible for audiences aged 6 to 10. For older students, "Nesterval’s Götterdämmerung" (September 12, 2025) brings immersive, site-specific opera back to NEST. Known for blurring the line between audience and performer, the Nesterval collective collaborates with the Opernstudio to craft a mythological journey with modern resonance. Additional productions include Oper, animiert: "Aschenputtel and Macbeth" (January 2026), both using animated visuals to help younger audiences access classic works. "Peter und der Wolf" and "Mein erster Nussknacker" (March 2026) take children deep into the world of music and movement.

The playful, interactive "LEBE EBEN: Sing dich in das nächste Level" (April 19–20, 2026) invites audiences to sing through a video game-like narrative where every note unlocks a new stage. Meanwhile, "Eine Stunde mit Tosca" and "Eine Stunde mit Carmen" (September 22 and December 22, 2025) offer accessible introductions to great operas, and "Das Opernquiz mit Georg Nigl" (October 21, 2025 and April 26, 2026) turns operatic trivia into a game-night spectacle. Beyond the stage, educational efforts remain key. Workshops, rehearsals, and moderated events like "PATHOS" (May 1–3, 2026), an evening with Georg Nigl, Nicholas Ofczarek, and August Diehl, explore the historic connection between spoken and sung theatre.