Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper

The Vienna State Opera (German: Wiener Staatsoper, IPA: [ˈviːnɐ ˈʃtaːt͡sˌʔoːpɐ]) is an opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road, built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll and designs by Josef Hlávka, and is an example of Renaissance Revival architecture. It was inaugurated as the "Vienna Court Opera" (Wiener Hofoper) in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elizabeth of Austria. It became known by its current name after the establishment of the First Austrian Republic in 1920. The members of the Vienna Philharmonic are recruited from the Vienna State Opera's orchestra. The opera house is also the home of the Vienna State Ballet, and hosts the annual Vienna Opera Ball during the carnival season.