Colorful tiles on the roof of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna

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Vienna Press Release – December 2024 King of Waltz. Queen of Music: 200 Years of Johann Strauss in Vienna

Johann Strauss II (October 25, 1825 – June 3, 1899) was no less than a pop star of his time who enjoyed immense fame and success. His timeless works remain relevant today and his melodies reflect the joy and sophistication of Viennese culture. Vienna is putting the spotlight on Strauss, one of the city’s greatest musical stars, to mark his 200th birthday. 

Strauss and Vienna: King and Queen 

The motto of the Vienna Tourist Board for the Strauss anniversary year 2025 is “King of Waltz. Queen of Music”. Strauss was already celebrated as the Waltz King during his lifetime. His queen is Vienna, the world capital of music. It was here that geniuses such as Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss were able to unleash their full creativity. Today, the city’s cultural scene is buzzing. Vienna’s stages attract 10,000 visitors a night.  

Johann Strauss is still a phenomenon in the modern era: “Die Fledermaus” is the most famous operetta in the world and the “Danube Waltz” is not only the unofficial anthem of Vienna, but possibly also of outer space – as the “Space Anthem”. His waltzes are an integral part of the internationally celebrated and booming Viennese ball season. Statistics from the Vienna Chamber of Commerce show that there were 560,000 visitors in the 2023/24 ball season, including 30,000 ball tourists. 

Strauss compositions also delight 50 million TV viewers every year at the traditional New Year’s Concert performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which will be conducted by maestro Riccardo Muti on January 1, 2025. The King and Queen will waltz together in perfect harmony in 2025: the superstar and the world capital of music. 

Johann Strauss 2025 Vienna: Strauss celebrations throughout the year 

Vienna will be the big stage for a packed Strauss program in his anniversary year. The city has launched “Johann Strauss 2025 Vienna” under the direction of Roland Geyer with the aim of creating a year-round festival program. Building on the three program pillars of PUR, MIX and OFF, the program spans an arc from classical Strauss concerts and operettas to contemporary performance art. Vienna will be celebrating its diversity and cultural vibrancy with an enormous range of artistic performances and city-wide events. 

Johann Strauss 2025 Vienna in figures: 

  • 65 productions 

  • Roughly 250 days of events 

  • Approximately 40 partners 

  • More than 400 artists 

  • 69 locations across all 23 of Vienna’s districts 

  • 10 genres: concerts, music theater, dance, drama, installations, exhibitions, science, circus, performance, film/video 

  • Some 90,000 tickets; a further 200,000 visitors expected to attend with free admission 

Strauss events of all kinds 

All of Vienna’s major music institutions are taking part, including the Vienna Music Society, the Wiener Konzerthaus, the MusikTheater an der Wien, the Vienna Volksoper and the Vienna State Opera. This year, Strauss can also be found in surprising places throughout the city, both indoors and outdoors.  

Highlights to kick off the Strauss year  

Here are just a few selected projects that will take place in the first quarter of 2025: 

1.1.2025: Countdown Strauss “Danube Waltz”. Open air concert at Vienna’s Rathausplatz with a hundred-piece band led by percussionist Martin Grubinger  

1.1.2025: First hour of the New Year. Kick-off with Strauss at the Wiener Konzerthaus with the Wiener Symphoniker, conducted by Petr Popelka, with Kunstpfeifer Nikolaus Habjan 

January, February 2024: The Vienna Ball Season: More than 2,000 hours of dancing enjoyment at more than 450 balls, with the highlight being the Vienna Opera Ball on February 27, 2025. 

January 3, 2025 – December 31, 2025: The Shadows of Doubt – Inside the Mind of Genius. Escape Room in Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier 

January 18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 2025: The Queen’s Lace Handkerchief (Das Spitzentuch der Königin). Operetta by Johann Strauss at the MusikTheater an der Wien 

January 19, 2025, then every 2nd Sunday of the month: Waltz Through Time (Zeitenwalzer). Performance by theaternyx* at the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel 

January 25, 29, 30, 31, February 1, 6, 7, 13-15, 2025: Thunder and Lightning (Blitz und Donner). Music theater about Strauss’ love letters; created by Jacqueline Kornmüller, performing at the Odeon 

March 1, 3, 4, 2025: Be Embraced, You Millions! (Seid umschlungen, Millionen!) A utopian ball night – a futuristic dance ball. Dance/performance by Liquid Loft & PHACE at Reaktor 

From March 21, 2025: LichtStrauss by Victoria Coeln in Vienna’s Stadtpark, inspired by female characters from Strauss’ operettas. Walk-in media artwork/augmented reality/installation (free admission) 

March 25, 2025: The Song from the Edge of the World or The “Gypsy Baron” (Das Lied vom Rand der Welt oder der “Zigeunerbaron”). Operetta after Strauss in the MuseumsQuartier Vienna, Hall E 

Themed days and special events 

There will also be special themed days such as the Fledermaustag on April 5, 2025 (for the world premiere of the operetta of the same name; in the MuseumsQuartier Wien with a flash mob, children’s program, concert with the Janoska Ensemble, theater performance of “Villa Orlovsky” in the neighboring Volkstheater Wien, audiovisual mapping show with facade projections, biodiversity show & bat rave) and the Strauss Birthday event on October 25, 2025 (birthday celebration at Vienna City Hall, concerts by the Vienna Philharmonic and the Wiener Symphoniker, operetta premiere of “One Night in Venice” at the Vienna Volksoper). On December 31, 2025, the Strauss festival year marathon will come to an end at the MusikTheater an der Wien with the concert “By(e) Strauss. Einmal muss geschieden sein.” 

Strauss exhibitions in 2025 

Several exhibitions will approach Strauss from various angles. The major Strauss retrospective “Johann Strauss – The Exhibition” will be running at the Theatermuseum from December 4, 2024 to June 23, 2025! All year round, visitors can explore the House of Strauss at Casino Zögernitz (Strauss Center with museum and concerts and home to the Vienna Institute for Strauss Research – where Strauss himself used to play music), the original Strauss apartment in Praterstrasse, the House of Music (conduct the Danube Waltz with the “Virtual Conductor”) and “Johann Strauss. New Dimensions” (a new immersive high-tech experience). 

New audio walk: discover Strauss locations all over Vienna 

Just launched this November, the Johann Strauss Audio Walk in the Vienna Tourist Board’s city guide app ivie guides visitors to ten Strauss locations. Museums such as the House of Strauss shine a light on his entire life. His former apartment in Praterstrasse offers very personal insights, as do several performance venues such as the Theater an der Wien and the Vienna Music Society, as well as Vienna’s most photographed monument, his golden statue in the Stadtpark. Strauss’ best-known works are performed by the famous Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester.  

Download city guide app ivie (free): https://www.wien.info/en/travel-info/ivie-app/strauss-walk-752686  

All the information about Johann Strauss Year 2025, “King of Waltz. Queen of Music”: https://www.wien.info/en/now-on/johann-strauss  

Information about the Johann Strauss Year 2025 festival: www.johannstrauss2025.at 

More images relating to the Vienna Tourist Board’s theme for 2025: www.foto.wien.info/Bilder/strauss 

Contact

Helena Steinhart
Media Relations
+43 1 211 14-364