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The list of names, changes, as well as the spheres of competence of today’s Bundestheater-Holding is quite long, ranging from administration and general management to the general director’s office (Intendanz) and the association: Historically, the association is based on the former Imperial and Royal court theatre, meaning the Hofburgtheater (Court Theatre) and the Hofoper (Court Opera); they were part of the court assets and served to raise the prestige of the reigning dynasty, headed by a Generalintendant (general director) who was appointed by the emperor.
After the fall of monarchy the young Republic of Austria took over the administration of these former Court Theatres, defining them as National Theatres. However, the basic financial responsibility for the conservation of the theatres by the sovereigns – now being the Republic – stayed the same.
In 1922, besides the Burgtheater, a second smaller theatre, the Akademietheater at Lisztstrasse, was opened and in 1955 the Volksoper at Währinger Gürtel was integrated as part of the Austrian Federal Theatres.
During the period between the wars separating the spheres of competence was a delicate and difficult task, also in the theatres, often varying between agreement and approval. As far as the subjects repertoire, establishment, contracts and new productions were concerned for instance, the last word depended on the Bundestheater authorities.
But quite soon there were tendencies towards finding a better form of organisation. Already in the twenties the separation and independence of the theatres was discussed and the idea was born to manage the Bundestheater as “independent economic bodies”, entrusting the directors not only with the artistic but also with the economic responsibilities.
With the beginning of the 21st century the Österreichische Bundestheater-Verband (Association of Austrian Federal Theatres) which had replaced the Bundestheaterverwaltung in 1971 was not able to satisfy the requirements of the increasingly competitive and open markets. Therefore the decision to adapt the organisation system was taken in order to guarantee a long term solution to assure cultural activities on the highest level.
In 1996 a new structural reform was initiated, which lead to a law on the organisation of the Bundestheater under the name of “Bundestheaterorganisationsgesetz” (Federal Theatres Organisation Act). Following the “separation” in 1999, the Bundestheater is now organised into an association of five independent limited corporations – Burgtheater GmbH, Wiener Staatsoper GmbH, Volksoper Wien GmbH, ART for ART Theaterservice GmbH – lead by the Bundestheater-Holding GmbH.
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