Vienna’s State Opera will host a powerful display of solidarity on March 8, 2026, as 2,000 women raise their voices in song for equality and empowerment. The event, titled “RISE! – Women’s Voices for Change,” is an initiative of the MADITA association and will feature musical direction from a diverse group of artists including star violinist Lidia Baich, pop singer Christina Stürmer, Staatsoper ensemble member Ilia Staple, Canadian singer-songwriter Rachelle Jeanty, and Iranian vocalist Vazista.
TV-Hinweis
The event will be broadcast live on ORF III starting at 11:15 AM.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Caritas organizations that directly support women and girls through social counseling centers, mother-and-child homes, and the *peppa Mädchenzentrum*. A fund has been established to provide ongoing support for women, single mothers, and young girls facing difficult circumstances.
“Sheet Makers” Honored at the National Library
The Austrian National Library is celebrating the achievements of women throughout history with a comprehensive program. Free admission and guided tours of the Literature, Papyrus, Globe, and Esperanto Museums are available, and visitors can also explore the online exhibition “The Sheet Makers.”
This online exhibition showcases four “sheet makers” – Marie Lang, Adelheid Popp, Hanny Brentano, and Fanny Burckhard – who shaped history around the turn of the century through journalism and activism. Newspaper clippings, front pages, and photographs detail the lives of these pioneering women. The exhibition also bridges the gap to the present day with video interviews featuring five Austrian journalists discussing their experiences and challenges in leadership roles.
Women and the Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum (NHM) is also spotlighting women, with Kathrin Vohland leading the museum as its first female director. Of the museum’s 383 employees, 209 are women. “I would wish that there would no longer be a need for a Women’s Day, but that equality is a matter of course – without gender-specific discrimination,” Vohland stated.
Female researchers have significantly shaped the museum’s history since its founding in 1750. Their contributions are being highlighted through a social media series on Facebook and Instagram, showcasing the women who make the NHM what It’s today. The museum is also examining why zoological exhibits often feature male animals even as females are underrepresented, and how the male form is traditionally considered the standard for defining a species.
The Image of Women in the 18th Century
Mozarthaus Vienna is dedicating itself to the women in the life of the composer and the societal image of women in the 18th century. Each of his female companions influenced his artistic development in her own way. The tour explores not only personal relationships but also the social norms of the time, and questions which notions of femininity continue to resonate today.
The Jewish Museum is offering a special tour, “Women’s Affairs,” focusing on women in Jewish Vienna – both celebrated networkers and lesser-known figures. The tour connects the permanent exhibition “Our City!” with the current exhibition “Black Jews, White Jews? About Skin Color and Prejudice,” and reveals how women fought for and continue to shape social and political landscapes.
