General terms and conditions and house rules

The House Rules regulate the conditions that must be observed by visitors, employees, suppliers and other persons staying at the Vienna State Opera and all other performance, rehearsal and operating venues operated by Wiener Staatsoper GmbH (hereinafter referred to as the "State Opera"). By entering the State Opera or by purchasing and/or holding an admission ticket, each person acknowledges the house rules for the Vienna State Opera.

I. Entering the State Opera

Entry to the State Opera is only permitted in the following cases:

1. Purchasing tickets during the designated times at the points of sale;
2. Attendance at events with a valid ticket;
3. Visiting as part of an organized guided tour, whereby the instructions of the tour staff must be followed at all times;
4. Performing official duties within the scope of the respective area of activity (representatives of the authorities) or police in uniform upon presentation of the badge.
5. In principle, all persons are only permitted to enter the State Opera (with the exception of paragraphs 1 to 4) with a valid chip card (season ticket or temporary visitor card).
6. Access to the stage, including its adjoining rooms and stacks, as well as to the artists' dressing rooms is only permitted to persons working there. The stay on the stage is only permitted as long as the presence is necessary. Persons from outside the company may only enter these premises if accompanied by a responsible member of the State Opera staff.
7. Persons who have been banned from the premises are not authorized to enter the State Opera. Likewise, persons who are obviously drunk or otherwise under the influence of addictive substances, as well as persons whose behavior or other circumstances could unreasonably impair the operation or the event, may be denied access to the State Opera despite having a valid admission ticket or chip card, or may be expelled from the State Opera.

II General

1. The initiation of sales negotiations as well as the offering for sale and sale of tickets in the area of the State Opera, but in particular on the premises of the State Opera by persons other than those authorized by the State Opera (private or commercial ticket sellers) is prohibited.
2. The use of tickets in competitions, raffles, tombolas, etc. is not permitted without the prior express written consent of Wiener Staatsoper GmbH.
3. It is not permitted to take along objects that could endanger persons or property.
4. Animals are not permitted, with the exception of guide dogs for the blind and partner dogs (with ID). Guide dogs for the blind must wear an appropriate lead, partner dogs must wear a lead and a muzzle. If a person with a guide dog or partner dog enters the State Opera, the Audience Service will inform the Auditing Service and the official supervisory bodies.
5. The State Opera is regularly cleaned at least two hours before the start of each event.
6. Traffic routes, entrances and exits as well as the emergency exits of the State Opera must be kept free of storage and obstructions during events and must be safe to walk through. All entrance and exit doors must be kept unlocked from the time visitors enter until immediately after the last visitor has left.
7. The instructions given by the official supervisory bodies, the company fire department, the audience service, the auditing service and the employees of the State Opera in the performance of their duties must be followed at all times.
8. Smoking and lighting tobacco products and the like (including e-cigarettes) as well as handling open flames is strictly prohibited, unless permitted in individual areas. All persons are obliged to comply with the existing smoking ban. The costs of a false fire alarm shall be borne in full by the person causing it.
9. Food and drink may only be consumed in the designated areas and may not be taken into the spectator area under any circumstances. Eating and drinking utensils, in particular bottles and glasses, may only be placed on the tables provided for this purpose.
10. Children and young people may only be admitted to events in accordance with the relevant child and youth protection regulations.
11. Attendance in the auditorium during rehearsals is only permitted for those directly involved in the production and representatives of the authorities. Other persons are strictly prohibited from entering the auditorium. Exceptions to this rule are public dress rehearsals and attendance with special permission from the management.
12. Only persons in possession of a chip card or a State Opera canteen authorization card and representatives of the authorities are permitted to visit the canteen.
13. The State Opera accepts no liability for personal items, with the exception of items deposited in the checkrooms in accordance with Article IV. paragraph 5.

III Behavior in the event of fire or danger

1. Flammable liquids and flammable objects may not be stored or used in the State Opera. Exceptions are only possible in accordance with legal regulations or official staging authorizations.
2. If a fire is suspected, the audience service or the company fire department must be alerted immediately on +43 1 51444 2415. If a person notices or becomes aware of a fire, the push-button alarm must be activated immediately.
3. In the event of a fire or any other threat to the safety of people or property, the State Opera must be left quickly and without obstructing others via the designated escape routes. This does not apply to persons assigned to rescue operations. If the way out is blocked, all persons must go to the balconies or terraces of the State Opera. Persons with walking difficulties in the balcony and gallery area and wheelchair users in the gallery area will be led to the terrace and evacuated by the audience service. If a person is cut off and cannot reach a rescue point, they must contact the rescue teams via the switchboard (+43 1 51444 9). Elevators may not be used. The instructions of the responsible employees of the State Opera and the public security services must be followed immediately. The head of operations of the fire department, the technical supervisor and the concept officer have authority over all measures to be taken. After an evacuation, all persons must go to the covered area of Mahlerstrasse, where all further measures will be organized by the responsible employees of the State Opera and first aid will be provided by the emergency services.

IV. Behavior in connection with events

1. The State Opera will be opened to visitors after clearance has been given by the supervisory bodies. At this time, the rooms must be adequately lit and the emergency lighting switched on. The lighting - including emergency and additional lighting - will not be switched off until the audience and staff have left the State Opera.
2. Access to the auditorium and to the adjoining rooms intended for the audience is only permitted with a valid admission ticket, which must be presented to the State Opera staff and the audience service without being asked.
3. Persons who are not dressed appropriately for the occasion may be denied access by the Auditorium and Auditorial Services despite having a valid admission ticket.
4. Overclothes (unless they are kept on for the entire duration of the event), baby carriages, rucksacks, bags, suitcases, large items of luggage, bulky items, musical instruments, umbrellas, walking sticks (with the exception of walking aids), cameras, equipment for video and/or sound recordings and similar items may not be taken into the auditorium, but must be left in the checkrooms for the relevant seating groups and may only be collected after the end of the event or before leaving the State Opera. It is prohibited to take the above-mentioned items into the auditorium.
5. The checkrooms are manned at all times while visitors are present. The checkroom items taken for safekeeping by the checkroom staff in the seating groups and those kept in the boxes are insured under a checkroom insurance policy. A checkroom ticket corresponding to the number of checkroom items taken into safekeeping is issued per person at each checkroom check-in. Checkroom tickets are non-transferable. The insurance cover begins with the handover to the responsible checkroom staff and ends with the handover to the depositor. Checkroom items are all items that are usually stored in checkrooms, such as items of clothing, umbrellas, bags and suitcases, other items of luggage, musical instruments and similar items, as well as photographic, film and video equipment. The insurance does not cover items in the checkroom, money and valuables or consequential damage. Complaints and any claims relating to the items stored must be made immediately upon handover of the items stored. The general insurance conditions for checkroom insurance are available for inspection at the head ticket office.
6. The public safety authorities, the public and auditing services are authorized to carry out identity checks and searches of bags, suitcases and similar items.
7. Seats may only be taken as authorized by the admission ticket or as assigned by the audience service and/or State Opera staff. Standing room is only permitted in the specially designated areas. Unauthorized changes of seat are prohibited, and in the event of a change to a (better) seat, the difference to the price of the standing or seated ticket may be charged or the visitor may be expelled from this seat or from the event if he/she refuses to leave the seat.
8. Wheelchair users (and any accompanying persons) may only participate in the event to the extent of the seats approved for this area and must be informed of the escape route to the outside provided for them before the start of the event. The elevator suitable for wheelchairs is available during the event and may only be used in the presence of the elevator operator(s). The barrier-free toilets (stalls and gallery) can be unlocked with the Euro-Key.
9. Late arrivals may not be admitted after the start of the event. In consideration of performing artists and other visitors, admission during the event is only permitted during a break. Unauthorized entry into the auditorium constitutes a violation of the house rules, which may result in expulsion from the State Opera and, in more serious cases, a ban from the premises.
10. In the State Opera, any behavior that disrupts operations, in particular an event or rehearsal, must be refrained from.
11. Cell phones must be switched off or silenced during the event. Any use of cell phones and other mobile electronic devices (tablet computers, laptops, video cameras, gameboys, etc.) that may disturb participating artists and/or other visitors due to noise, (light) glow or the like is prohibited for non-operating persons during the event.
12. The monitors for the subtitling system installed in the audience area must be used with care. Any defects do not constitute grounds for a refund of the ticket price (not even in part). Please report any defects to the audience service.
13. If medical assistance is required during an event, Audience Services must be informed immediately, who will then notify the doctor on duty as well as the responsible representative of the management and the auditing service.
14. It is forbidden to remove or rearrange State Opera furnishings without authorization. Any handling or commissioning of technical equipment, such as the lighting system and all mechanical equipment, by unauthorized persons is prohibited. The person causing the damage is fully liable for any damage to the equipment that is not caused by normal wear and tear, as well as for unauthorized handling or operation.
15. In the event of disputes, Audience Services shall act as a mediator and is entitled to call on the support of the auditing service, the company fire department and official bodies if visitors fail to comply with its instructions. Complaints by visitors about the external operation of the event, perceived defects and damage must be brought to the attention of the Auditorium Service, which will inform the Auditorium Service accordingly.
16. Lost property must be handed in to the Audience Service, which must also secure unattended items. Lost property will be kept by the head ticket inspector until the end of the event and stored by the fire department for a period of six months after the end of the event. Any lost property not recovered within this period will be handed over to the lost property service of the Municipal District Office of the City of Vienna. Identity cards, keys, money, credit cards and the like will be handed over to the Municipal District Office of the City of Vienna on the day following the day on which they were found.

V. Return or replacement of purchased tickets and cancellation or change of events at the Vienna State Opera

1. A return or exchange of purchased tickets is not possible (with the exception of paragraphs 2 and 5). No compensation can be paid for tickets not used (e.g. in the event of denied admission) or only partially used (e.g. due to late arrival) or for tickets lost in any way whatsoever.
2. If a different work is performed instead of the work whose title is printed on the ticket, tickets already purchased (with the exception of tickets at reduced prices and subscription tickets) will be taken back by the State Opera against payment of the regular ticket price. Tickets can be returned at the box offices of the Bundestheater from the announcement of the change until the end of the third day after the day of the event, or at the box office of the State Opera on the day of the event, whereby only tickets with intact tear-offs will be taken back. If tickets that have already been reserved and paid for are not refunded as a result of such a change to the event, the amount paid will be transferred to an account to be notified to the purchaser in writing.
3. Under no circumstances shall changes to the cast be grounds for the return of tickets or a refund of the ticket price. Announcements of the cast shall not be deemed to be the basis for the purchase of tickets. We therefore expressly reserve the right to make changes to the cast.
4. Furthermore, the State Opera expressly reserves the right to postpone the start of the performance to another time - even at short notice. Visitors are responsible for informing themselves about any changes on the day of the event, e.g. via www.wiener-staatsoper.at, Tel.: +43 1 51444 0 or current daily newspapers.
5. If an event is canceled, an alternative event will be offered or, if this is not possible for scheduling reasons, the ticket price will only be refunded if less than half of the performance has been performed at the time of cancellation.
6. Other claims of the customer or visitor, for whatever legal reason, are excluded in all cases mentioned in Article V.; in particular, expenses incurred by the customer or visitor in connection with the visit to the event (such as travel and accommodation costs) will not be reimbursed.

VI Photography

1. Photography during the event is prohibited without exception. Photography before and after the event and during breaks for private purposes is permitted; all other uses require special permission from the State Opera. The production of sound, image and/or video recordings of any kind is prohibited without exception before, during and after the event as well as during the intermissions without separate permission from the State Opera. The installation of tripod spotlights and cameras is only permitted with the appropriate official authorization. In the event of non-compliance, the auditing service is entitled to confiscate cameras, video cameras, tape recorders or other equipment until the end of the event. Sound, image and/or video recordings and the like will be confiscated and deleted by the responsible State Opera staff at the expense of the person filming or recording. In addition, the visitor may be expelled from the event by the auditing service and banned from the premises in the event of further infringement.
2. In the case of image, sound and photo recordings (television, radio, Internet, film, print media, etc.), the visitor agrees that the recordings made by him/her during or in connection with the event or all recordings made by him/her in the State Opera may be used without remuneration and without any time, space or number restrictions in any currently known and future technical process within the scope of normal utilization.

VII Ensuring safety and order

Visitors who disrupt an event or other visitors or who cause a nuisance to State Opera staff, the auditorium service or the audience service may be removed from the auditorium or the State Opera. If the efforts of the Audience Service, the Auditorial Service and the fire department are unsuccessful, they may contact the fire department, the security police supervisor and the public security service officers assigned to them and seek their support in ensuring the proper operation of the opera house or the course of an event, such as enforcing a house ban. In particular, they are entitled to remove disturbers of the peace from the State Opera.

VIII. Procedure for violations and consequences of non-compliance with the house rules

1. The instructions of the employees of the State Opera and the supervisory staff on duty for the purpose of ensuring safety and order and the orderly running of operations and events must be complied with. In the event of violations of these instructions, the auditing service is entitled to demand identification and, in the event of gross violations, to exclude the person from participation in the event and to expel them from the State Opera or to ban them from the premises. Visitors who have already disturbed previous events, harassed other visitors or failed to comply with the house rules may be denied admission to the event despite having a valid ticket or may be banned from purchasing tickets for a certain period of time or, in serious cases, permanently. Persons who are subject to a house ban must also be expelled from the State Opera. In none of these cases will the purchase price of the ticket be refunded (not even in part). In particular, no expenses incurred by the purchaser or visitor in connection with attending the event (such as travel and accommodation costs) will be reimbursed.
2. Non-compliance with the provisions of the approved house rules is subject to the penal provisions of the Vienna Events Act and may result in exclusion from participation in the event and expulsion from the State Opera, a ban from the premises, an administrative penalty, criminal prosecution and, in the case of unauthorized image, sound and/or audiovisual recordings of performances, civil claims and judicial enforcement of the removal of the image, sound and/or audiovisual material.

Approved by Municipal Department 36 under number MA36-85219-2015 in accordance with § 35 of the Vienna Event Venues Act.

Download