The Geierwallyy Open Air Stage
The Geierwally open-air theater is an event in itself and the cultural center of the Lech Valley. It offers theater scenery under the open sky, in the middle of the wild Bernhardstal gorge, and year after year attracts numerous visitors with moving and rousing theater performances.
Art & culture under the open sky
The creation of the Geierwally open air stage
The foundation stone for the construction of the stage was already laid in 1990, on the 150th anniversary of the birth of its namesake, the iconic Lechtaler "Geierwally" - Anna Stainer-Knittel from Elbigenalp. In addition, the stage play "Die Geierwally" by the famous author Felix Mitterer was premiered around 30 years ago to mark the opening of the stage.
The unique Tyrolean scenery as well as effective image, light and sound effects make theater performances and concert evenings an experience. Thanks to the flexible roofing, events can be held regardless of the weather. In addition to theater performances, concerts and cabaret evenings are also held in the impressive setting of the open-air stage during the summer months.
The Geierwally - A genuine Lechtaler woman
The daughter of a gunsmith, Anna Stainer-Knittel was born on 28.07.1841 in Elbigenalp. Her extraordinary talent for drawing was already noticeable in childhood, and so she was encouraged and taught by the "Father of the Lech Valley" - Johann Anton Falger in his founded drawing school.
When, at the age of 17, she dug out an eagle's nest in the Saxer Wand in the Alperschon Valley, and also dared to be the first and only woman to study at the Munich Art Academy, she finally went down in the history of the Lech Valley. In a time when women had only limited, if any, freedom of expression, the headstrong "Nanno" often asserted her will. Inspired by the adventures of Anna Stainer-Knittel, her life also served as a model for the novel "Die Geierwally" by Wilhelmine von Hillern.
However, the writer called her heroine "Wally", gave her an eagle as a companion and transferred the events to the Ötztal valley. In the following years the story of the Geierwally was filmed several times. The myth of the "Geierwally" was thus born. And so it is not surprising that the stage today owes its name to the painter and Lechtaler Anna Stainer-Knittel.
