1950
![Seebühne - 1950 - Gasparone - Bühnenbild](/sites/default/files/styles/bild_gross_x1/public/2021-05/1950_see_gasparone_001_0.jpg?itok=-4ZlY0QB)
Bregenz Festival acquired its first home. An offshore stage erected on wooden piles. At that time, it primarily hosted operettas and ballets. Back then, the open-air auditorium had a capacity of 6,500 people. In the event of rain, 1,000 people could be moved to a nearby sports hall. One year earlier, in 1949, the Bregenz Festival Society had been founded; an association consisting of citizens of Bregenz, which from then on were in charge of organizing the annual event.
Walter von Hoesslin and Adolf Rott (director) introduced a unique way of staging in Bregenz by not using the Seebühne solely as a picture frame stage. To him, the lake was not just scenery, but a central element of the productions.