New Year's Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic
Perhaps the most famous concert in the world is broadcast by television to an audience of millions in over 90 countries. Being there in Vienna on the day calls for a little luck because the tickets for each year's concert are drawn on the website of the Vienna Philharmonic due to the huge demand. Or head to Stephansplatz - one of the stops on the New Year's Eve Trail - where a live open-air broadcast takes place.
Fascinating Strauss sounds
The New Year's Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic combines the best of the best: The cheerfully lively, but also somewhat reflective program of music with compositions by the Strauss dynasty and its contemporaries, ensures a good start to the still young year. The most Viennese music ever written is performed, from the waltz to the polka, interpreted with artistically value.
Program for 2023
- Eduard Strauss: Wer tanzt mit? Polka schnell, op. 251
- Josef Strauss: Heldengedichte. Waltz, op. 87
- Johann Strauss II: Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron). Quadrille, op. 422
- Carl Michael Ziehrer: In lauschiger Nacht. Waltz, op. 488
- Johann Strauss II: Frisch heran! Polka schnell, op. 386
- Franz von Suppè: Overture to the operetta “Isabella”
- Josef Strauss: Perlen der Liebe (Pearls of Love). Waltz, op. 39
- Josef Strauss: Angelica Polka. Polka française, op. 123
- Eduard Strauss: Auf und davon (Up and away!). Polka schnell, op. 73
- Josef Strauss: Heiterer Muth (Cheerful Fortitude). Polka française, op. 281
- Josef Strauss: For ever. Polka schnell, op. 193
- Josef Strauss: Die Zeisserln. Waltz, op. 114
- Josef Hellmesberger (son): Glocken Polka with Galopp from the ballet Excelsior
- Josef Strauss: Allegro fantastique. Fantasy for orchestra, Anh. 26b
- Josef Strauss: Aquarellen (Watercolors). Waltz, op. 258
Intermission film on the Vienna World's Fair
When the orchestra and audience in the Musikverein took a break in the middle of the New Year's Concert on January 1, 2023, TV viewers were offered a very special film program: This year's ORF film for the concert intermission was dedicated to the anniversary 150 Years of the Vienna World's Fair.
The philharmonic journey through time dives into the year 1873, when the expo was held in Vienna and the imperial capital became a cosmopolitan metropolis. From the Japanese Tenno to the King of Hawaii: The whole world met in Vienna back then. Starting from the Musikverein – and with the cooperation of the conductor of the New Year's Concert, Franz Welser-Möst – the film revives historic venues like the legendary Prater rotunda in extraordinary 3D animations, making them a stage for a real music-making ensemble of the Vienna Philharmonic. This historic Prater ambience is brought to life and animated flights lead through the World's Fair site of the time. (Design: Barbara Weissenbeck in cooperation with Nicholas Pöschl)
Tip for watching back: DVD "New Year's Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic, 2023" including intermission film and ballet scenes (on sale from January 27, 2023)
The 2023 intermission film on the 1873 Vienna World's Fair
Musical ambassadors of Austria
The musicians play right at the top of the league of leading international orchestras - they are the Vienna Philharmonic. The conductors are also amongst the best in the world. The orchestra is conducted by somebody different every year. Guest conductors have included Mariss Jansons (2016), Gustavo Dudamel (2017), Riccardo Muti (2018 and 2021), Christian Thielemann (2019), Andris Nelsons (2020), Daniel Barenboim (2022), and Franz Welser-Möst (2023). At the stand in 2024: Christian Thielemann from Germany, an expert on Otto Wagner and the conductor of the New Year's Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic in 2019.
Boys' Choir & Girls' Choir
For the first time in history, the Vienna Boys' Choir was also joined by the Vienna Girls’ Choir at the 2023 New Year's Concert. – The traditional choir celebrates its 525th anniversary in 2023; the female section was formed in 2004. Side by side, the girls and boys performed Josef Strauss's polka "Heiterer Muth" (Cheerful Fortitude) together with the Vienna Philharmonic.
Dancing's allowed
A highlight of the New Year's Concert are the dance interludes of the Vienna State Ballet with a top-class cast. In 2023, there were three (instead of the normal two) ballet interludes, in the elegantly humorous choreography of Ashley Page: The waltzes Perlen der Liebe (Pearls of Love – Josef Strauss) and An der schönen blauen Donau (The Blue Danube Waltz – Johann Strauss) as well as the polka Auf und davon (Up and Away! – Eduard Strauss). The costumes were designed by Emma Ryott.
In the temple of classical music
The New Year's Concert is held in the Musikverein, the center of classical music for music fans in Vienna. The Grand Hall is also called the Golden Hall. It is considered to be not only one of the most beautiful halls in the world, but also one of the best in terms of acoustics. For the New Year's Concert, the hall, which is built in the historical style based on the model of antiquity, is decorated with wonderful flower arrangements. Columns, caryatids and gable reliefs create the impression that a temple of music has been created here.
New Year's Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic
Annually on 1 January
Start: 11.15 am
Broadcast live on ORF2 and on Ö1 as well as in over 90 countries worldwide
Program, information: www.wienerphilharmoniker.at
