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2025 – Vienna in Strauss and bliss

Vienna celebrates 200 years of Johann Strauss – from January 1 to December 31, 2025 – with a premiere every week. From ten different genres, indoors and open air. At venues such as the Musikverein, Konzerthaus, Theater an der Wien, Volksoper and State Opera. But also in surprising places in all 23 districts, such as the Central Cemetery, at the Danube Island Festival or at the Open Air in the Sky.
The great Viennese orchestras and contemporary artists celebrate with us. 

Let‘s do Strauss

You can expect traditional Viennese Johann Strauss music as well as contemporary experiments. For example, you can look forward to AI composition in collaboration with Ars Electronica Linz. Another focus is on cultural mediation, such as through the collaboration with SUPERAR throughout the festival year.

With this enormous range of themes, artistic performances and city-wide events, we celebrate the diversity and cultural vibrancy of Vienna, where Strauss comes into its own 365 days a year.

Countdown Strauss feat. Martin Grubinger Superband

 

Johann Strauss 2025 Vienna, in cooperation with the MyGroove App, is launching a major music education and participation project under the direction of Austria’s star percussionist Martin Grubinger. Around 500 music enthusiasts from Vienna will have the opportunity (both analog and digital) to learn new instruments, further develop their skills and perform with professionals. At the end, participants will have the chance to be selected for the 100-member Superband, to perform live with additional star guests like Max Mutzke, among others, on New Year’s Eve 2024/25 from 11:00 PM to 12:30 AM on the stage at Vienna’s City Hall Square as part of the Vienna New Year’s Path, kicking off the festival year with a spectacular performance.

© Martina Draper
Danube so blue. Call for entries
© Vienna Shorts

Short film contest by VIENNA SHORTS and Johann Strauss 2025 Wien

DANUBE SO BLUE – REFRAMING AN EVERGREEN

It is one of the most famous pieces of music in the world and has also made a lasting impression on film history – Strauss’ “An der schönen blauen Donau”. VIENNA SHORTS and Johann Strauss 2025 Wien are looking for contemporary and unconventional cinematic interpretations that allow this popular evergreen to shine in a new light. Whether music video, animation or artistic experiment, whether poetic, political or personal – the approach is free to choose.

Singing competition final

On 8th May 2024, the final of our MUT special edition on Viennese operetta / Johann Strauss II, a collaboration with the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, took place at the MuTh.
First place went to Friederike Meinke, followed by Verena Tranker and Marie-Dominique Ryckmanns. In addition, numerous special prizes were awarded by cooperating theatres, as well as two media prizes by radio klassik Stephansdom and Orpheus Magazin.
We would like to thank all participants, our jury and our audience for a successful evening!

© Herwig Prammer
© Barbara Feldmann

Johann Strauss 2025 Wien takes over flying fox sponsorship

Johann Strauss 2025 Vienna is sponsoring flying foxes at Schönbrunn Zoo to mark the anniversary of Die Fledermaus and the anticipated Fledermaus Day 2025.

Intendant and Artistic Director Roland Geyer is delighted about the connection and the bat-themed day in the festival program. Although there are differences between flying foxes and bats, zoo director Dr Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck emphasises the importance of their protection for ecosystems and expresses his thanks for the support provided by the sponsorships.

© Christian Stemper

PUR - VIENNA IN MY MIND

Original Strauss music in top-class concerts. This pillar provides the nucleus of the entire festive year and demonstrates the uniqueness of Johann Strauss’ timeless compositional art: pure, unedited in its magnificent orchestration, its enchanting melodies that continue to inspire new enthusiasm throughout the world to this day.

March 29, 2025 | Musikverein Vienna
Johann Strauss Operetta pastiche with Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Christian Thielemann, tenor Piotr Beczała, and others.

MIX - REJOICE IN LIFE

Distilled, edited and reassembled: Take Strauss’ music, his operettas and themes from his art and life and build something completely new from them or around them. So on Bat Day, you have the chance to immerse yourself in the world of bats. Strauss will present this exciting mix to a wide audience at the Danube Island Festival.

From February 15, 2025 | Dianabad
World premiere with theater ensemble Nesterval, based on Donauwalzer and operetta Fürstin Ninetta

© Alexander Müller
© Matthias Merth

OFF - INCREASED PULSE

Here we catapult Strauss’ music into completely new dimensions: Inspired by his operetta characters, for example, there is a light installation around his monument in the Stadtpark. We track him down in his grave and lure him above ground with a happening. This extraordinary whirl of wild spin-offs opens up spaces beyond the usual theater and concert business.  

 

From March 21, 2025 | Stadtpark 
Light installation with 7 female roles from Strauss operettas  

Special themed days also make Strauss accessible to the whole family – and with a low threshold. Examples include Danube Waltz Day 

Why Vienna?

  • City and world famous
  • Viennese & cosmopolitan
  • Boundless enthusiasm
  • Danube waltz: Vienna’s anthem
  • “Die Fledermaus”: top operetta
  • Melodies for millions
  • Music: Beginning and end of the year
  • Viennese waltz: Worldwide & at home
  • Vienna: Unique through Strauss Music: joie de vivre & festive mood
  • Anniversary year: Join in & be amazed
An der schönen blauen Donau - von Herwig Zens
‘The Blue Danube’ by Herwig Zens (1943-2019) / Photo: Herbert Stadler With kind permission of Dr. Gerda Zens
is the number of photos that show Strauss smiling.
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Johann Strauss wrote 16 operettas.
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That’s how many handkerchiefs he left after his death.
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wreaths were laid on Johann Strauss’s grave.
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waltzes, polkas and mazurkas flowed from his pen during his lifetime.
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were in his orchestra for the "World’s Peace Jubilee".
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is the year Johann Strauss was born.
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people were in the audience for his gigantic concert in Boston in 1872.
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is the number of photos that show Strauss smiling.
0
ballet
0
Johann Strauss wrote 16 operettas.
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mehr lesen
That’s how many handkerchiefs he left after his death.
0
wreaths were laid on Johann Strauss’s grave.
0
waltzes, polkas and mazurkas flowed from his pen during his lifetime.
> 0
mehr lesen
were in his orchestra for the "World’s Peace Jubilee".
0
is the year Johann Strauss was born.
0
people were in the audience for his gigantic concert in Boston in 1872.
0

Gesangswettbewerb 200 Jahre Strauss MUT-Special Edition

Ziel des europaweiten Wettbewerbs ist es, Talente für das Operettengenre zu finden und zu fördern, offen für alle  Sänger*innen und Musicaldarsteller*innen mit Operetteninteresse.

from A to Z

© Niko Havranek

Roland Geyer

Intendant & Artistic Director

“In 2025, we will honor hope and cohesion with Johann Strauss’ lively music.His complete works, spanning the year from New Year to New Year’s Eve, will inspire joy and let Vienna shine culturally. The Strauss festival year is based on four pillars: a variety of new events as a tribute to Vienna, the artistic range of Strauss, sustainable value creation in art, business and tourism. By opting for the international spelling of his name, we are positioning Vienna as a vibrant world cultural metropolis.”

If you have any questions or suggestions, you can reach us at our contact address: kontakt@jost25.at 

About Johann.Strauss-Festjahr2025 GmbH

The city of Vienna founded Johann.Strauss-Festjahr2025 GmbH as a company of Wien Holding in late July, 2022. Under the artistic direction of Roland Geyer a creative team is conceiving, inspiring and coordinating a series of festivals centring on the life and works of Johann Strauss for all Viennese and their guests.

Johann Strauss Team

Artistic Director

Roland Geyer

Intendant &
Künstlerischer Geschäftsführer

Roland Geyer

Commercial Director

Simon Posch

Curation & Project Management

for concert (from classical to electronic music), music theatre, dance, literature, drama, exhibition, performance, installation, film & TV, immersive & digital arts, science, education & outreach, art in public space, open-air events

Karin Bohnert, Elisabeth Geyer, Marie Huber,
Laurin Pikus, Sarah Scherer, Teresita Traun, Christoph Zauner

Coordination & Operations Management

Britta Kampert, Bettina Loibl

Office

Elke Voglmayr

Marketing & Communications

Anna Faist, Jacqueline Haberl,
Ines Oberngruber

Finance & Controlling

Miriam El Sayed 

Johann Strauss on Instagram

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