The Bregenzer Festspiele is usually associated with incredible floating opera stages and performances of famous plays. Even though the Bregenz Festival is held in five different locations throughout the city, Seebühne (the floating stage) on Lake Constance is the most popular of them all. In the staging process, the lake and its shores are the grounds for innovative decors and fantastic light shows.
Verdi’s A Masked Ball, produced in 1999. Photograph by BENNO HAGLEITNER
Stage inspired by The Death of Marat, an iconic painting by Jacques-Louis David. Envisioned for the staging of André Chénier. Photograph by Bregenzer Festspiele / KARL FORSTER
The seat capacity for the plays on Lake Constance is around 6800 (according to Twisted Sifter), making this a perfect setting for lovers of the opera worldwide. We only read positive reviews written by the visitors in Bregenz who attended one or more spectacles. The atmosphere is said to be unique and the artistic quality of the show unparalleled. Some people even talk about the ferries in the background, which add even more dynamics to the grand decor. Enjoy the photos!
Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème
Photograph by KARL FORSTER
A new era for the Festival was ushered in by the triumphant success of The Magic Flute on the Lake.Photograph by KARL FORSTER
Beethoven’s Fidelio directed by David Pountney; Photograph by KARL FORSTER
Verdi’s monumental desert opera Aida on the waters of the Constance Lake; Photograph by Bregenzer Festspiele / andereart
In 2003, the Bregenz Festival staged Leonard Bernstein’s hit musical West Side Story Photograph by BENNO HAGLEITNER / VISION fotografie
Giacomo Puccini’s opera thriller Tosca, staged in 2007/2008; production by Philipp Himmelmann
George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess,
Over 300,000 people saw Verdi’s Nabucco on the Lake in the summer of ’93 and ’94.
Carmen | 1991-1992. Photograph by KARL FORSTER
Giuseppe Verdi’s Il Trovatore
Opera on the Lake 1989/91 The Flying Dutchman
Photograph by KARL FORSTER
4 Comments
Sonali
May 1, 2014 at 12:58 pmMost amazing creative inspiring stages I have ever seen!!!!!
Trickster
July 17, 2014 at 4:44 pmThese look really impressive, but none of these operas use THE WATER. Like hello. You could make the best Dutchman or Billy Budd with real ships.
Adrian
October 21, 2016 at 9:27 pmI agree with TRICKSTER. “Madama Butterfly”, too.
Buddy
June 19, 2017 at 12:32 am@Trickster: Actually they do. There are ships in almost every production. Also the actors go into the water or come out of it. Plus there are elements in the water wich are added during the plays