Two Sides of Vienna

The concert opens with an overture of music from Lehár’s well-known 1905 operetta The Merry Widow, which was compiled in 1940 for the Vienna Philharmonic in celebration of the composer’s 70th birthday. This is followed by two dance pieces: Eduard Strauss’ train-themed polka Bahn frei!, and his brother Johann Jr.’s majestic Emperor Waltz, written to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the crowning of Emperor Franz Josef.