Featured Performances at the Vienna New Year's Concert
The much-anticipated Vienna New Year's Concert is set to take place at the Musikverein in Vienna on January 1, 2026. This annual event, renowned as one of the most famous events in the classical music calendar, will be conducted by the esteemed Italian maestro Riccardo Muti, known for his interpretations of operas.
The concert promises to be a musical extravaganza, featuring some of the best tunes written. The programme will highlight the music of the Strauss family, with a heavy emphasis on the works of Johann Strauss II, affectionately known as 'The Waltz King'. Some of the Strauss family compositions that are likely to be performed include 'Tales from the Vienna Woods', 'Die Fledermaus' (Overture and Arias), 'Blue Danube Waltz', and 'Radetsky March'.
In addition, two waltzes by Josef Strauss, 'Dorfschwalben aus Österreich (Village Swallows from Austria)' and 'Transactionen (Transactions)', will be part of the concert. While the exact titles of the works by Johann Strauss (senior) and Josef Strauss (the second son of Johan Strauss) have not been specified, they are expected to be included in the programme.
Other composers who will be represented in the concert include Constanze Geiger and Riccardo Muti himself, who will conduct 'Lagunen-Walzer (Lagoon waltz)' and 'Entweder - oder! Polka (revolve)', respectively. A march by Josef Hellmesberger from his opera 'Das Veilchenmädchen (The Violet Girl)' will also be played.
The concert will conclude with the lively 'Wein, Weib und Gesang. Walzer (Wine, Woman, and Song)' and the iconic 'Freiheits-Marsch' by Johan Strauss I, which will open the concert.
A highlight of the concert will be the performance of a waltz by Constanze Geiger, marking the first time a work by a female composer has been featured in the New Year's Day concert. This is a significant step forward in the representation of female composers in this prestigious event.
The concert will be broadcast on TV on New Year's Day, allowing music lovers worldwide to enjoy this spectacular event from the comfort of their homes.
In related events, the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra's New Year's Concert on January 1, 2026 (twice that day) will celebrate Strauss but its detailed program is not yet published. The Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert, performed on December 31, 2025, is also expected to include traditional Strauss family favourites. A similar Strauss-focused concert at Usher Hall, Edinburgh, on January 1, 2026, and the New Year's Eve Gala at the Minorite Church in Vienna on December 31, 2025, will also feature Strauss family works prominently.
However, the official and complete programme for the actual Vienna Philharmonic 2025 New Year's Concert on January 1, 2026, has not been published yet. Thus, the exact list of Strauss family compositions and works by other composers specifically for that event remains undisclosed at this time.
Stay tuned for more updates on this eagerly awaited classical music event!
[1] Vienna Hofburg Orchestra's New Year's Concert: https://www.wien.info/en/events/vienna-hofburg-orchestra-s-new-years-concert-2026 [2] Usher Hall, Edinburgh: https://www.usherhall.co.uk/whats-on/new-year-s-day-concert-2026 [3] Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert: https://www.salutevienna.com/ [4] New Year's Eve Gala at the Minorite Church: https://www.wien.info/en/events/new-years-eve-gala-at-minorite-church-2025
The Vienna New Year's Concert, a prestigious classical music event, will feature not only the works of the Strauss family but also other composers like Constanze Geiger, Riccardo Muti, Josef Hellmesberger, and more. This entertainment spectacle, conducted by Riccardo Muti, will include popular compositions such as 'Tales from the Vienna Woods', 'Die Fledermaus', 'Blue Danube Waltz', and 'Radetsky March'.
