Volksoper Vienna Premieres Dark and Gritty Production of Musical Chicago

The musical “Chicago” premiered at the Vienna Volksoper on Oct. 24, 2026, bringing a gritty, stripped-down staging of the Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse, and John Kander classic to the Währinger Straße stage, according to reports by diepresse.com and the Salzburger Nachrichten.

Vienna Volksoper Debuts Gritty Chicago Production

House director Lotte de Beer staged the production without the traditional Broadway glamour, opting instead for a cold color palette of gray, black, and dark blue. As diepresse.com reported, the staging departs from expected revue aesthetics by stripping away the usual red tones and physical props, leaving actors to mime letters, money, and even gunshots using their fingers.

The Salzburger Nachrichten noted that the production avoids the polished elegance typically associated with the material, presenting instead an industrial, stark setting designed by Christof Hetzer. The musical numbers are performed in English with German surtitles, maintaining a stylistic distance that highlights the show’s vaudeville structure.

Cast Performances Drive the Satire

Bettina Mönch stars as Roxie Hart, leading a cast that features Myrthes Monteiro as Velma Kelly, Katia Ledoux as Mama Morton, and Lionel von Lawrence as lawyer Billy Flynn. Kronen Zeitung reported that Mönch embraced the darkly comedic nature of her character, describing Roxie as an egocentric and manipulative figure who sacrifices relationships for fame.

Jakob Semotan rounds out the principal cast as Amos Hart, earning audience sympathy in the role of Roxie’s neglected husband.

Orchestral Precision and Choreography

Maayan Franco leads the Volksoper orchestra from the pit, delivering precise swing arrangements that merge smoothly with the ensemble during key courtroom numbers. Arielle Smith handled the choreography, pushing the cast through physically demanding dance routines, turns, and fight sequences across Christof Hetzer’s rotating multi-level set.