sirene Operntheater: THE SWEDISH RIDER - Opera World Premiere

Welcome to the Opera World Premiere THE SWEDISH RIDER in Vienna

From 21 to 27 November 2026, the sirene Operntheater brings the world premiere of the grand opera THE SWEDISH RIDER to the stage of the Jugendstiltheater am Steinhof in Vienna. The music is by Wolfram Wagner, with a libretto by Kristine Tornquist based on the novel of the same name by Leo Perutz. Sirene, a touring ensemble without a fixed home stage since 1998 and behind almost 100 world premieres, returns to one of its legendary venues: the historic Jugendstiltheater on the Otto Wagner site.

Highlights and Attractions at THE SWEDISH RIDER

• An opera world premiere, composed by Wolfram Wagner to a libretto by Kristine Tornquist
• Based on Leo Perutz's novel "Der schwedische Reiter" (The Swedish Rider), a masterwork of magical realism about identity, guilt and fate
• Seven performances on seven consecutive evenings in November 2026
• Venue: the listed Jugendstiltheater am Steinhof, one of the most distinctive stages on Vienna's independent music theatre scene
• A production by sirene Operntheater, which has been establishing new music theatre in Vienna for almost 30 years

Plot and Program: What is THE SWEDISH RIDER about?

Around 1701, a thief known only as the "Hahnenschnapper" and the deserted Swedish officer Christian von Tornefeld meet by chance in a barn. To escape the dragoons hunting them, the two fugitives swap identities at the lowest point of their lives. The thief gambles high and seemingly wins everything, but the lies and crimes along his path eventually catch up with him. Ten years later the two meet again and swap identities a second time, yet their fates are so closely intertwined that in the end both are caught together by what has been pursuing them. Performances run on seven dates: 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 November 2026, each starting at 7:30 pm. The performance runs about 110 minutes and includes one interval.

Tickets and Admission for THE SWEDISH RIDER

Tickets range from 10 to 40 euro depending on category and are available through the official advance sales page ntry.at. Sales run exclusively through the linked online ticket shop; further information about the production can be found on the sirene Operntheater website.

Visitor Tips: Getting to the Jugendstiltheater in Vienna

• The Jugendstiltheater is located at Baumgartner Höhe 1 in Vienna's 14th district (1140 Wien), on the historic Otto Wagner site at Steinhof
• As this is a listed theatre building from around 1900, arriving a little early is worthwhile to take in the architecture and atmosphere of the grounds
• As a sirene production without its own fixed venue, it is worth checking travel details and doors opening times on the ensemble's website shortly before each date
• The performance runs about two and a half hours including the interval; booking ahead via ntry.at is recommended, as capacity at the Jugendstiltheater is limited