THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - relaxed performance

Statements

Kurt Gollowitzer, Managing Director of Wien Holding: "Wien Holding is 50 years old this year and since then it has become an integral part of Vienna's city life and the everyday lives of the Viennese. Art and culture are among the biggest factors that contribute to the quality of life in this city and also attract visitors from Austria and abroad. We want to strengthen and further expand this offer and also continue to think and live the inclusion of people with disabilities and neurodiversity. With this format, the VBW is sending a very special signal in this direction. "

Jutta Steidl, Österreichische Autistenhilfe: "While much remains to be done for official Austria, despite all the progress made in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Vereinigte Bühnen Wien is leading the way with great sensitivity and showing what is possible! And in a double sense, because Leonie Strahl, a client of Autistenhilfe, was able to contribute her expertise to this special production. As a lighting technician at the Raimund Theater as well as with her studies in event engineering. By offering those affected the chance to integrate, they become a valuable part of society!"

Franz Patay, Managing Director of Vereinigte Bühnen Wien: "As one of the largest cultural institutions in the city of Vienna and throughout Austria, Vereinigte Bühnen Wien has always pursued the mission of offering musical theater at the highest level and at the same time with a low threshold. It is very important to us to make the special experience of seeing a musical accessible to as many people as possible. With the "relaxed performance", we also offer people for whom a visit to the theater under normal conditions can cause too much stress the opportunity to experience culture live and share it with family and friends. We are thus taking on a pioneering role in the German-speaking world."

Christian Struppeck, Musical Director of Vereinigte Bühnen Wien: "With the 'relaxed performance' at THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, we want to take an important step towards inclusion and neurodiversity. In this special show, the audience will experience the popular musical in a more relaxed setting that is specially adapted to the special needs of visitors. This will also be a completely new experience for our performers and the teams behind the scenes, as the performance will be different in many ways. We are very much looking forward to it and hope that this evening will provide everyone involved with an enriching and strongly needs-oriented theater experience."

VBW employee Leonie Strahl, who is autistic and has been working as a lighting technician at the Raimund Theater with her assistance dog Magic since 2023, also contributed to the "relaxed performance" concept for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

Leonie Strahl, VBW employee with autism: "I am delighted to be able to contribute my experience from my personal everyday life and my bachelor's thesis on neurodiversity and lighting technology to this great project. The staging has to be implemented very sensitively for neurodiverse viewers. I think it's great that Vereinigte Bühnen Wien is one of the first theater companies to implement this offer and give neurodiverse people the opportunity to experience musical theater in a relaxed way. Initiatives like this open up the world for autistic people."