Once again there was talk of a decline in the genre of opera, of feebleness, and apathy. Then one person set about saving Russian music theatre: Sergei Prokofiev. Basing his work on The Gambler, Dostoyevsky’s novel with autobiographical elements, as if in a frenzy wrote compelling music. Money and love, compulsive gambling, and despair, rich grandmothers, and poor generals: Prokofiev outlined them all with an analytical eye. This will now be performed at the Wiener Staatsoper. Until now, it has only been seen here as guest performances. So for the first time the opera house on the Ring is mounting a new production of this opera.