Evening star., 1955-07-31
BY CONSTANCE MELLEN
VIENNA.

VIENNA.
Our party for the tour Of
the new opera house assem-
bled, quite appropriately, at
the Cafe Mozart. After a coffee
with "schlagobers" we filed
across the square and into a
back entrance of the building
where our guide, DR.. Karl
Waska, greeted us.
DR.. Waska, one of the prin-
cipal planners of the new
opera, is called upon to take
frequent visitors through it
nowadays (the' most recent
ones had been Rudolph Bing
and Pandit Nehru), but he
was fresh and full of enthu-
siasm and information. He led
off through a dark, noisy side
stage passage where some elec-
tricians were urging large
clumps of green wires toward
their ultimate connections. and
paused in front of the master
switchboard. Here levers con-
troll the six platforms which
compose the forestage; these
platforms can be rotated,
moved 1aterally. raised and
dropped, all by hydraulic
power.
completely eliminates scene
shifting waits" said DR.. Waska.
and added thoughtfully, quite
risky out there when the stage
is darkened." He pointed out
the trap-door for apparitions
of the Erda -Alberich type, and
explain e d that a revolving
stage may be brought in folded
and set down in a retaining
frame when needed. The most
modern equipment for steam.
storm and cloud effects has,
of course, been installed.
Four Frescoes Salvaged
We crossed the boundary
between the stage and the pub
lie part of the house into q
magnificent lateral corridor.
Just ahead a pair of legs
dangled below a concealing
scaffold.
Seen from the other side Of
the scaffold, the owner of the
legs turned out to be an artist
intently restoring a fresco-
one of four depicting scenes
from Figaro" and salvaged
from the old house. He inter-
rupted work on Susanna's nose
long enough to acknowledge
a greeting from DR.. Waska,
who explained, "The profess
sor up there is the only man
in Vienna qualified to do this
work"
The party continued into the
main foyer, where the imperial
grand staircase, its balustraues
statues and ceiling decorations
as well as the ornate frescoed
loggia, has been preserved ano
restored.
Fortunately the undamageC
core of the house also included
the salon back of the imperia
box, a glitter of gold and crys.
tai.
The Moorish arches of TIN
corridors are rich with fresct
and provide the essential,
glamorous background TO.
opera-goers.
Auditorium Simple, Clear
Otherwise the planners hav,
made a triumphant break with
tradition. The auditorium it
self Surprisingly small II
size; only 2,095 seats) is simple
clear of supporting pillars, witt
a minimum Of boxes. White
gold and red is the color theme
The huge golden wheel o
the chandelier, soon to sup
port three tons Of crystal, ha
an air-conditioning system a
its heart, and is also equippe,
with a retracting bridge Dl
Waska's invention) to max
cleaning easier. Klieg light
from Hollywood. a radio an,
TV booth, lighted desks a
the back of the balconies TO
students of scores--no drear
has been left unfulf1lled.
In the vast buffet room
hi-fi system will keep late
comers filled in on the music
while they admire some yer
modernesque panels in marbl
intarsia depicting the back
stage arts.
Between the acts patron
can stroll on any of three Q
four open terraces, the to