Final rehearsal before the first Opern Air concert

Bertrand de Billy: Of course, there is a big difference between conducting in a concert hall or opera house and conducting outdoors. It's the first time we've done something like this outdoors, which means we only know the day before what the acoustics will be like on stage - between the musicians, the singers and the choir. We also don't know how the audience will react. How loud will it be outside, what will the atmosphere be like?

It really is a special event - and that's where the big difference lies. It will require a lot of flexibility, but we already know that. The Philharmoniker regularly perform at Schönbrunn, and I myself have already conducted a gala concert at Schönbrunn with Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazón and Plácido Domingo. In other words, flexibility is part of the concept - and we really only know what it will sound like in the end at the last moment.

Elīna Garanča: For me, it hardly makes a difference whether I sing in an opera house or outdoors - preparation and concentration remain the same. And yet the change from the auditorium to an open-air stage feels like a breath of fresh air in the truest sense of the word. It is precisely this unpredictability in the open air that makes us more vulnerable and forces us to find new ways to connect with the audience at that very moment.

Jonas Kaufmann: Of course it's a huge difference, I myself am always enchanted by the atmosphere of an open-air concert. The wind blows through your face and songs like "E lucevan le stelle" are much more impressive for me when you can really see the stars in the sky. The best stage design simply can't keep up with nature. I'm sure there are visitors who are worried about the lack of acoustics outdoors. But I think that's easily outweighed by the atmosphere.

Benjamin Bernheim: Yes, of course there is a difference. Every environment has its own atmosphere - the special acoustics of an opera house, a concert hall or the vastness of an open-air concert. For me, singing in the open air means reaching a completely different audience, who may be experiencing the power of an operatic voice and the sound of an orchestra live for the first time. That makes such concerts particularly exciting for me.

Sonya Yoncheva: In terms of vocal technique, it makes no difference. But the atmosphere is of course completely different when you sing in front of so many people in the open air. There will certainly be a lot of people in the Burggarten who perhaps don't usually go to the opera so often - you reach a different audience that way. I think that's very nice and important. We should try as often as possible to make opera and art accessible to a wider audience, and initiatives like this are simply great. Opera comes to the heart of the city, to the people. I am very happy to be there on Sunday.

Boris Pinkhasovich: An open-air concert brings its own challenges - from the acoustics to the weather conditions and the handling of microphones. At the same time, it offers a special atmosphere and the unique feeling of coming into contact with a large audience.

Bertrand de Billy: Of course it's fantastic to be in this historic setting - between the Hofburg and the State Opera, in the middle of Vienna, right in front of the Palm House and the Butterfly House, in this magnificent Burggarten. It's a gift when you consider that, as far as I know, music has never been performed here before. And now the first concert in a new series is taking place here.

Elīna Garanča: I am very excited about the idea of taking Vienna's artistic and musical heart outside. Now it can beat freely beyond the walls of the opera house and reach people in a more open and direct way.

Jonas Kaufmann: That's great, of course; I don't know when or if a concert has ever been held in the Burggarten in modern times. Of course, the historical location with the adjacent Hofburg plays a role.

Benjamin Bernheim: It is a great honor for me to perform in such a traditional and magnificent place. The Burggarten is a place that carries the beauty and history of Vienna within it, and I feel it is something very special to be present there with music.

Sonya Yoncheva: The Burggarten is a wonderful place. I often went for walks there with my children - it's right next to the State Opera and is a little oasis of peace after or between rehearsals. Giving a concert there now combines two sides of Vienna for me: the history and culture of a cosmopolitan city with the ease of a summer evening outdoors.

Boris Pinkhasovich: I love Vienna, especially the historic center of the city, where you still have the feeling that Mozart or Johann Strauss could appear around the corner at any moment. For me it is a special experience to sing in the Burggarten and to have my dressing room on Josefsplatz, right next to the National Library.

Bertrand de Billy: Being able to make music with so many friends - with the orchestra, the choir and the ensemble, to which I feel very close as an honorary member of the Staatsoper - is something very special for me. And also with the soloists, all of whom I know well - we are like a family. So it will be a very touching moment for all of us to come together here.

Elīna Garanča: I'm really looking forward to being on stage again with my colleagues and the fantastic orchestra. And it feels all the more meaningful because this concert commemorates a remarkable moment in history.

Jonas Kaufmann: I am delighted to welcome my colleagues to the new season and to get the audience in the mood for a new season. But I'm particularly pleased that the weather gods are on our side.

Benjamin Bernheim: It's a completely new environment for me and I'm very excited to see how it feels to sing in the midst of Vienna's impressive architecture. I'm looking forward to experiencing this special atmosphere together with my colleagues and discovering how the music works in this place.

Sonya Yoncheva: Yes, very much! I'm looking forward to singing in front of a large, open audience, which will certainly be even more diverse than at the Staatsoper. I am convinced that we will appeal to people who may be experiencing opera live for the first time. As always, I am also very much looking forward to working with the wonderful Vienna State Opera Orchestra and my great colleagues.

Boris Pinkhasovich: Of course I'm really looking forward to it - to the atmosphere, to working with my wonderful colleagues and especially to the first joint performance with Jonas Kaufmann, whom I adore.

Bertrand de Billy: The combination of 80 years of destruction and 70 years of reconstruction shows how strong culture is, how strong music is. Being here on this particular day, just 200 meters from the State Opera, touches me deeply. But of course I also have to think about everything that is happening in the world right now - the destruction of cultural institutions through wars and through the madness of humanity, which means it gives me courage and also concern that culture is always the hope of the world.

Elīna Garanča: I find being part of this special season opening deeply moving and symbolic. For me, it is a celebration of resilience, passion and the enduring power of music - and I feel honored to be able to experience this moment together with the city and the audience.

Jonas Kaufmann: In times of war in Europe, one naturally always becomes particularly thoughtful on such anniversaries. It's great that people didn't want to miss out on culture even after such cruel blows of fate and pushed ahead with reconstruction.

Benjamin Bernheim: It fills me with great joy and gratitude to take part in an evening that recalls these important chapters in the history of the Vienna State Opera. At the same time, the concert marks the beginning of a new season - and it is an honor for me to be part of this special moment with my voice.

Sonya Yoncheva: It is a special evening and I am so happy to be part of it. The Vienna State Opera has a unique tradition and history. To be part of it fills me with joy and gratitude.

Boris Pinkhasovich: I feel deeply connected to the Vienna State Opera and consider it my artistic home. It is therefore all the more a great pleasure and honor for me to be able to take part in this event, which is significant and emotional in many respects.