This spring, the Wiener Symphoniker has orchestrated a splendid series of concerts that promise to transport audiences through time and cultures. From classical pieces by Mozart and Mahler to innovative performances featuring Schoenberg and Bernstein, the events highlight an incredible array of musical talents and styles. With performances led by renowned conductors like Petr Popelka and Lahav Shani, and featuring stars such as pianist Martha Argerich, this festival is a celebration of musical mastery and cultural diversity.

Harmonies Across Cultures: The Wiener Symphoniker's Spring Festival

As spring unveils its vibrant colors, the Wiener Symphoniker invites music enthusiasts into a world of symphonic delights across various venues in Vienna. From the immersive 'Im Klang' series to educational school concerts, each event weaves a unique narrative of sound. Highlights include the genius of Lahav Shani conducting 'Pelleas and Melisande', the cultural fusion in the 'Festival of Joy', and the cinematic brilliance of James Newton Howard. Join us in this exploration of artistic expression, where every performance is a tribute to Vienna's rich musical legacy.

Vienna's Melodious Spring: A Journey Through Symphonic Harmony

Join the Wiener Symphoniker for a captivating series of orchestral events in May 2025, featuring world-class musicians, timeless compositions, and a unique blend of historical and modern themes. From the iconic works of Bernstein and Adams to the enchanting pieces by Dvořák and Rachmaninoff, these performances promise to immerse you in the rich tapestry of Vienna's musical heritage. Experience the harmonious convergence of classical music, cultural celebrations, and educational outreach in this month-long journey through the symphonic world.

Exploring the Symphony: A Journey Through Vienna's Orchestral Masterpieces

The 2025 Wiener Symphoniker season is set to offer an impressive lineup of events featuring renowned musicians such as Renaud Capuçon, Petr Popelka, and Lorenzo Viotti. From classical favorites by Beethoven to celebrated operas at the Bregenz Festival, this season promises a rich tapestry of orchestral and chamber music performances. Join us as we explore the diverse offerings and remarkable talents that will grace the stages across Europe.

A Symphony of Masterpieces: The 2025 Wiener Symphoniker Concerts

Experience a musical highlight of the pre-Christmas season in the heart of Vienna: the Wiener Symphoniker's Advent concert with chief conductor Petr Popelka in the beautiful St. Stephen's Cathedral. In 2025 a ‘Bohemian Christmas’ will take centre stage - with touching works by Antonín Dvořák, Bedřich Smetana, Josef Suk and others.

Wiener Advent

St. Stephen's Cathedral

It's virtuosic, swinging, and shimmering in every tonal palette – there's just one catch: Ravel's Piano Concerto in D major can only be played with one hand! Anna Vinnitskaya is one of the few pianists to have this exceptional work in her repertoire. A stroke of luck for the Hamburg audience! And a homecoming for the Hamburg piano professor, who has found her home in the Hanseatic city since studying at the local music academy – and from there has conquered the piano stages of the world. 

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Vienna Symphony Orchestra / Anna Vinnitskaya / Petr Popelka

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

125 years Wiener Symphoniker

Vienna Music Society

Homage to Johann Bouquet

Schmidt "The Book with seven seals" with Fabio Luisi

Vienna Concert Hall

Chamber Music: Glière Quartett

Festspielhaus Bregenz

Popelka, Fujita ・Rachmaninoff, R. Bouquet

Chamber Music: Symphonisches Schrammelquintett Wien

Saraste ・Fagerlund, Sibelius

Chamber Music: Horn players of the Wiener Symphoniker

Chan, Chaieb ・C. Debussy, Ravel, Bonis

Bregenz Festival 'The Marksman'

Bregenzer Festspiele

Bregenz Festival "Oedipe"

Prater Picnic of the Wiener Symphoniker

Gasthaus ZUM KAISER

Honeck, Kavakos · Auerbach, Korngold, Beethoven

Lorenzo Viotti · Zemlinsky, Bruckner

Viotti, Gabetta · Saint-Saëns, Rimsky-Korsakov

Wiener Konzerthaus

On tour with Popelka and R. Capuçon

L'Auditori

Palau de la Música Catalana

Palace of Culture

National Music Auditorium

A new and wonderful combination of orchestra and conductor leaves its calling card: the Wiener Symphoniker, or Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and Petr Popelka. The Czech musician – who, incidentally, was associate principal double bass of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden until 2020 – is considered a shooting star on the conductor’s podium. Together, they offer audience favorites: after beginning with Beethoven, the Viennese orchestra and its chief delve into romantic sound worlds. Korngold’s Violin Concerto, as virtuosic as it is mellifluous, is in great hands with the French star violinist Renaud Capuçon. 

Capuçon — Wiener Symphoniker — Popelka

Kulturpalast Dresden

On tour with Popelka and Bartoš

Municipal House

Austria was celebrating its 90th anniversary and Richard Strauss provided the appropriate music: his "Rosenkavalier" suite. It was premiered in 1946 by the Wiener Symphoniker in the Great Hall of the Konzerthaus, conducted by Hans Swarovski. Today, the new chief conductor of the Wiener Symphoniker takes on the task of organizing Strauss' ambiguous suite with all kinds of waltzes. Petr Popelka also includes Josef Strauss' "Dynamiden" waltz in the program, as well as Erich Wolfgang Korngold's voluptuous violin concerto, which will be interpreted by French violin virtuoso Renaud Capuçon. An evening between the ambiguity of the waltz and great late romanticism.

Popelka, Capuçon · Korngold, J. Strauss, R. Strauss

In the series ‘Cinema:Sound’, the Wiener Symphoniker are taking up their long tradition of film music and bringing a film music legend to Vienna every year to guide the orchestra through their soundscapes. On 20 May 2025, the celebrated Hollywood composer, conductor and pianist James Newton Howard will be conducting the Wiener Symphoniker for the first time.

Cinema:Sound - James Newton Howard in Concert

Altinoglu, Faust · Shostakovich, Debussy, Ravel

Concerts and guided tours around Vienna: the chamber music of the Wiener Symphoniker and Vienna's history come together at the Wien Museum! The chamber music series includes an introduction to the current special exhibition, a one-hour chamber music concert and a Meet the Artists in the '& töchter' café bar.

Chamber concert: Classic Vienna

Wien Museum Karlsplatz

In the one-hour concerts for school classes, the Wiener Symphoniker invite you to an entertaining excursion into the world of classical music. Moderators or actors lead through the program; the students are prepared with teaching material and music workshops and can also play an active role in the concert.

The Carnival of the Animals

On 8 May, the day of Austria's liberation from the Nazi regime, the Mauthausen Committee Austria invites you to the traditional ‘Festival of Joy’ on Vienna's Heldenplatz. Musical partner from the very beginning: the Wiener Symphoniker.

Festival of Joy

Heldenplatz

Eschenbach, Melnikov · Dvořák, Rachmaninoff

Shani, Ólafsson · Adams, Bernstein

For the concerts in the In sound series, the Wiener Symphoniker leave their traditional place on the podium and forms up in the cleared-out ground floor of the Great Hall. The audience is invited to mingle with the musicians and sit in the middle of the orchestra, in the middle of the sound.

School concert: "In sound" - Pelleas and Melisande

For the concerts in the "Im Klang" series, the Wiener Symphoniker leave their traditional place on the podium and forms up in the cleared-out ground floor of the Great Hall. The audience is invited to mingle with the musicians and sit in the middle of the orchestra, in the middle of the sound.

Im Klang: Pelleas and Melisande

The Wiener Symphoniker have premiered various works by Arnold Schoenberg, including his symphonic poem "Pelleas and Melisande". A narrative love story after Maurice Maeterlinck in dramatic sounds, which Schönberg composed without knowledge of Debussy's opera and after his "Transfigured Night". In the Wiener Symphoniker's 125th anniversary season, it will now be conducted by Israeli conductor Lahav Shani. Also on the programme is Ludwig van Beethoven's 2nd Piano Concerto (op. 19), which is still oriented towards Viennese Classicism, but foreshadows the later Beethoven. The soloist is Argentinian pianist legend Martha Argerich.

Shani, Argerich · Beethoven, Schönberg

Chamber concert: Between East and West

The programme for the last evening in Trieste dances from musical Vienna to the whole world, circling around Italy again and again. Petr Popelka and the Wiener Symphoniker slowly move with Johann Strauss Sohn and his Gruß an Wien to the land Where the Lemons Blossom and finally spend A Night in Venice. Of course, the polka Auf Ferienreisen is also performed. The second part of the programme includes works by Giacomo Puccini (Preludio sinfonico), Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Capriccio Italien) and the interlude to Franz Schmidt's opera Notre Dame. The programme closes with the Strauss waltz Roses from the South. An atmospheric evening that will also be recorded by ORF and broadcast to the world from Trieste.

Springtime from Vienna

Politeama Rossetti/Rossetti Theatre

Two symphonies that made history: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote his Prague Symphony before travelling to Prague, where it was premiered in 1787. Conductor Petr Popelka comes from Prague himself and is enchanted by the beauty of this music. Gustav Mahler's Fourth Symphony with its setting of the poem Der Himmel hängt voller Geigen and a musical resurrection of the dead is also gripping. Soprano Julia Kleiter will perform this work together with the Wiener Symphoniker, which Gustav Mahler himself considered to be one of his most powerful works.

To kick off their new festival Primavera da Vienna, the Wiener Symphoniker are transforming the city centre of Trieste into a large stage: at the Aperitivo Musicale, ensembles from the orchestra will perform at special locations in the city with free admission.

Wiener Symphoniker

Dec 11, 2025

Wiener Advent

Nov 5, 2025

Vienna Symphony Orchestra / Anna Vinnitskaya / Petr Popelka

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