100 years of the Reichenau Theatre

Curtain up for 100 years of theatre

Reichenau an der Rax was already a popular summer holiday destination in the 19th century. Artists, intellectuals and wealthy guests sought relaxation here. With the increasing importance of the spa and tourist industry, it soon became clear that Reichenau needed its own theatre that could meet the requirements in terms of stage and seating capacity. It needed an attraction for the summer holiday guests. The Gesang- und Orchesterverein Reichenau  (now the Singgemeinschaft Payerbach-Reichenau) and the Thalhof landlady were in charge of this idea. At the time, people in Reichenau complained about the lack of stage and rehearsal venues. The theatre was built at the suggestion of the former chairman of the Payerbach-Reichenau Singgemeinschaft, August Humpel. In 1922, the municipality acquired the so-called "Viererwerk", a former wood sanding factory owned by the Waissnix family. The building had long since ceased to be used for industrial purposes and was ideally suited for conversion into a theatre and concert hall.

The new theatre was officially opened on 1 August 1926. With the participation of the Reichenau Choral and Orchestra Society, the Vienna Operetta Ensemble under the direction of Hans Stilp performed Johann Strauss' operetta Die Fledermausthe work that will be performed again in 2026 in the anniversary year, thus building a special bridge between past and present.

In the following years, numerous renowned ensembles made guest appearances in Reichenau, including the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Vienna State Opera Ballet. The repertoire mainly included operettas, musical comedies, farces and classics.

From 1931, regular film screenings supplemented the theatre programme, but cinema operations were discontinued in 1989. After the Second World War, performances by amateur drama groups and guest performances took place here, and the Reichenau Mining and Local History Museum was also housed in the theatre for several years. Between 1972 and 1987, Erich Koller characterised cultural life in Reichenau with his operetta summer plays.

Festspiel Reichenau and new impulses

A decisive turning point came in 1988 with the founding of the Festspiele Reichenau by Renate and Peter Loidolt. The programme was expanded, new venues - such as the Südbahnhotel Semmering - were opened up and the theatre building was renovated several times and adapted to modern requirements.

In2003, together with Reichenau Castle, the theatre was the venue for the Lower Austrian provincial exhibition "Theatre World - World Theatre". In 2005, the new performance space was opened.