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Since 2014, the Zurich Opera House opens every new season with the Opera for Everyone. The large Sechseläuten square in front of the picturesque opera house, right next to the lake, transforms into a festival ground. With thousands of spectators sitting on the ground, indulging on picnics and the opera performance which is broadcast live on a big screen from inside the opera house. Inside extends to outside and opera becomes accessible for all.
Over the years, this live broadcast event has become an integral part of Zurich’s cultural agenda. Amazingly, it is also always free of charge.
The Sechseläuten square is located in the center of town and easy to get to for everyone. Train, tram, and bus stops are only a few steps away, transporting you to and fro in all directions.
Standing on the square, facing the magnificent opera building, you’ll have the square behind you. The lake to your right. And, to your left, you’ll have part of the old town of Zurich. Picturesque and enchanting.
The Sechseläuten square is beautifully laid out with stone plates of quartzite, from the mountain region of Vals in Switzerland. It’s a very special kind of stone. Tough. Indestructible. Yet with a beautiful sheen, radiating warmth and comfort.
Throughout the year, people sit here on sunny days, enjoying the wide-open space in the middle of the city together and chatting with each other.
On the day of the Opera for Everyone event, this is all taken one step further as thousands come together. If they want, people can buy folding chairs and blankets from booths set up at the edge of the square.
However, most bring their own pillows and picnic blankets and settle right in, on the quartzite stone slabs which have stored the warmth of the day.
Families unpack whole feasts of snacks. Bottles of wine are opened all around as everyone begins settling in already around 4:30pm in the afternoon.
Usually then, at around 7pm, the artistic director of whichever opera and ballet is being presented that night is interviewed on the opera house terrace. This is broadcast for all as well on the huge screen that has been installed right next to the opera building.
Amazingly, you’ll see all age groups, from small children to the elderly. All politely making space for each other as more and more people file into the square before the performance starts. As many as 10’000 spectators can fit onto this square.
This year, I fully expected the event to not take place again due to Covid.
Imagine my delight when I started seeing advertisement going up around town. The opera house was once more going to open their season with Opera for Everyone.
On Saturday, it was going to be the ballet Messa da Requiem. And, on Sunday, a children’s opera in the morning, as well as the opera Salome in the evening.
As a friend of mine and I arrived on the Sechseläuten square on Saturday evening, September 11th 2021, we needed to show our vaccination certificates and were then allowed to proceed onto the square.
At 6pm a well-known Swiss TV moderator appeared on the opera house terrace and proceeded to interview the artistic director of Messa da Requiem as well as about half a dozen ballet dancers of the Zurich Ballet.
It was almost a familial atmosphere as afterwards all 50 ballet dancers of the Zurich ensemble settled down on the stone floor of the square to watch their legendary dance interpretation of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem together with the audience.
Two hours of bliss followed. As always, a wonderful atmosphere. Inspirational. Appreciative. And magical.
It was wonderful to see how enraptured everyone was. Even the children were focused throughout. Many of them imitated some of the dance moves they saw on the big screen, which made everyone sitting around them smile.
What brought the biggest smile to my face at the end of the event was the thunderous applause, standing ovations, and the TV moderator wishing us all a happy weekend, saying:
“Ok everyone! Adieu, culture lockdown! Go to the theatres again! Enough of all this sitting around at home!”
She doesn’t have to tell me twice!
Official website, Zurich Opera House, Opera for Everyone
The Opera for Everyone 2016 trailer on YouTube which gives you a glimpse into the great atmosphere and spirit of this event.
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Liam Klenk was born in Central Europe and has since lived on four continents. Liam has always been engaged in creative pursuits, ranging from photography and graphic design, to writing short stories and poetry, to working in theatre and shows. In 2016, Liam published his first book and memoir, 'Paralian'.
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