Concerts & Events at a Standstill Following Major Shooting in Graz

Eleven are dead following a school shooting incident, and the city's cultural sites have shut down

Cultural institutions across the city of Graz have closed their doors, following a school shooting incident that constitutes one of the worst instances of gun violence in Austria's modern history. According to Reuters, eleven people, including the gunman, were killed.

The shooter was a 21-year-old Austrian man dubbed "Arthur A." by local media. He was an ex-student of the school where the shooting took place, though he never completed his qualifications there.

Most events in the city have ceased as locals come to terms with what happened. There was a minute of silence at 10 AM (Local time), in which churches as far away as St Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna rang their bells. In addition, 900 public transport vehicles came to a stop for the minute's silence, and television and radio programs all ceased too.

Musical events across the city have been suspended. Vienna.at reported that the Graz Opera and the Theater have suspended their operations in light of the events until further notice, "at least until Thursday inclusive." This includes the ballet premiere of Carnival of the Animals and the planned final performance of the Puccini rarity Le Villi.

The music association canceled the subscription concert of the Vienna State Opera's opera studio planned for Wednesday. The opening of the "Playwrights Festival" planned for Wednesday is also canceled, as is a guest performance by the Munich Residenztheater at "Next Liberty".

Other cultural events have also been cancelled, such as an event planned with Michael Köhlmeier and Konrad P. Liessmann at the Graz Literature House, two jazz concerts at Café Floor, the performances of comedians Chrissi Buchmasser and Antonia Stabinger at the Theatercafé planned for Tuesday and Thursday, and a performance by the theater collective Rabtaldirndln.