MAY 7TH, 1824  |  VIENNA, AUSTRIA

BEETHOVEN is a digital recreation of the premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven's iconic Symphony No. 9, colloquially known as the "Ode to Joy," which occurred at the Theater am Kärntnertor in Vienna, Austria on May 7th, 1824. Widely considered to be one of Beethoven's greatest masterpieces and one of the most celebrated compositions of all time, the Ninth Symphony cemented Beethoven's legacy as one of the greatest composers who ever lived.

This recreation is the most accurate, extensive, and detailed visualization ever constructed of the Theater am Kärntnertor (which was razed in the 1870s), the City of Vienna at the time (which includes the medieval city walls and the glacis), and the groundbreaking performance itself. Based on our exhaustive research over the last 5 years and digital construction of the Theater space using architectural plans, we determined the choir was actually situated in front of the orchestra instead of behind it, an arrangement that differs dramatically from how the piece is performed today. The number of musicians, their position on stage, and in many cases their actual names, are all accurately portrayed in the piece. Additionally, the piece accurately portrays the four principal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone), the conductor, Michael Umlauf, and Beethoven himself, who famously stood on stage next to the conductor for the entire performance.