Vienna celebrates Johann Strauss: festival concerts for the 200th anniversary!

Vienna celebrates Johann Strauss: festival concerts for the 200th anniversary!

October 26, 2025 is a special day for the Viennese music scene: the city is celebrating the 200th anniversary of Johann Strauss Sohn, one of the greatest composers of waltz and operetta music. Vienna, famous for its musical tradition, is associated not only with Strauss, but also with big names like Mozart and Schubert. The melodies of the Strauss family have made the city a place of longing for music lovers like them ARD media library documented.

In the run-up to the celebrations, the audience experienced a moving concert in the Prinzregententheater in Munich in May 2023 under the title “Vienna, Vienna only you alone”. The Munich Radio Orchestra, conducted by Patrick Hahn, played tunes by Johann and Josef Strauss and others. Johannes Silberscheider took on the role of narrator and singer, while Hahn accompanied himself on the piano for the performance of the piece “Music Critic” by Georg Kreisler.

Celebrations in Johann Strauss Year 2025

In the new year, the celebration of the Johann Strauss Year begins in St. Stephen's Cathedral with festive sounds. The first notes will sound live in the Vienna Konzerthaus after the last chime of the bell. The Vienna Symphony Orchestra under the direction of chief conductor Petr Popelka has prepared a varied program, “Kick-off with Strauss”. One of the highlights is the Danube Waltz, and the piper Nikolaus Habjan and the pop artist Ankathi Koi will also enrich the celebrations Vienna Symphony Orchestra report.

A concert performance of the operetta “Carnival in Rome” is on the program on February 22nd. Patrick Hahn will also act as conductor here, with Vera Lotte Boecker in the leading role and Nikolaus Habjan as puppeteer, which promises an exciting mix. In addition, Strauss will be the focus of the Prater Picnic, which takes place on the last day of school in Vienna - a free open air concert will delight the citizens.

Gala concerts and international performances

Fans should pay special attention to October 25th, the date of Johann Strauss' birthday. The “Homage to Johann Strauss” at the Vienna Musikverein makes hearts beat faster when violin virtuoso Anne Sofie Mutter and conductor Manfred Honeck take the listeners into the world of music with works by Strauss and a premiere by Max Richter. Honeck, who grew up in a musical family, has long been fond of Strauss' music. He describes the Strauss family's wealth of melodies as unique and perfect, and he plans to bring their music to other continents in a stylish manner BR CLASSIC.

In addition, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra will perform in Trieste in April, where, in addition to Strauss, the program also includes works by Puccini and Tchaikovsky. This international cooperation shows how alive Johann Strauss is even beyond the Austrian borders.

These celebrations not only honor Strauss' music, but also feature exciting collaborations with modern artists such as Red Bull Symphonic and the electronic music producers Camo & Krooked. The entire year 2025 will be an adventure for lovers of Strauss music and proof that the Viennese waltz is still very popular.