Custom-crafted for a historic venue: Theater an der Wien equipped with a Wagner curtain for the first time

Clearly visible: the characteristic “cat’s‑eye” opening of the Wagner curtain, sometimes also referred to as “iris‑shaped”.

The challenge: limited space, bold vision

Since its foundation, Theater an der Wien has operated its main curtain as a so-called German curtain, which opens vertically from bottom to top. This type requires no side pockets, unlike Greek or French-style curtains.

As part of the renovation, Artistic Director Stefan Herheim requested that the new main curtain should also function as a Wagner curtain – a system where the fabric panels open diagonally upwards toward the sides. This presented a remarkable technical and design challenge, as the stage sides at Theater an der Wien offer just around 30 cm of space.

The solution was developed through close collaboration between TÜCHLER, the artistic director, and the in-house stage technology team – not on paper, but hands-on in the theatre space. The ideal cable path was determined step by step, through continuous visual assessment, repositioning of curtain rings, and adjustments until the opening movement worked seamlessly in terms of aesthetics, mechanics, and stage usability.

Additional factors had to be taken into account: visibility of the surtitles display, extremely narrow side stage areas, and the absence of built-in pulley blocks in the proscenium. The final positions of these components were determined by the developed cable curve itself.

This resulted in a system that allows Theater an der Wien, for the first time, to operate the main curtain both as a classic German curtain and a full-featured Wagner curtain – despite the exceptionally tight space conditions.

Technical implementation: The first Wagner rig at Theater an der Wien

At the heart of the project was the development of a main curtain that not only operates as a traditional German curtain – opening vertically from bottom to top – but, for the first time in the venue’s history, can also function as a Wagner curtain.
In this setup, the fabric panels open diagonally upward to the sides – a movement that typically requires generous side pockets. However, Theater an der Wien offers only about 30 cm of side space.

Together with Artistic Director Stefan Herheim and the venue’s stage technology team, TÜCHLER developed a fully functional cable routing system directly on site. The cable curve was refined through numerous practical steps – by placing, shifting, and adjusting the rings until the curtain's motion was aesthetically pleasing and technically reliable.
Special structural requirements had to be taken into account as well: the unobstructed view of the surtitles screen, the extremely limited side stage space, and the lack of existing pulleys in the proscenium. The final positions of these elements were determined by the custom-developed cable curve itself.

As a result, the first Wagner curtain in the theatre's history was created – delivering a spectacular effect despite the limited space and allowing for quick conversion back to a German curtain via a simple rigging change.

The main curtain

The finished main curtain measures approximately 8.50 m in height and 14 m in width. Above it hang two valances, adorned with 60 cm long golden fringes. A dark backing fabric between them adds depth and provides visual separation.
For operation as a Wagner curtain, an additional extension drop of over 10 m in height was produced, resulting in a total travel height of around 18.5 m. The curtain fabric was pleated with well over 100% fullness to ensure a uniform and voluminous appearance despite the shallow side pockets.

The curtain is made of Polyester FR stage velvet, a flame-retardant polyester fabric with a weight of 600 g/m², certified according to EN 13773 Class C1.