Highlights from Vienna 2026

Petroc Trelawny presents highlights of the traditional New Year’s Day Concert from Vienna. Watched by an audience of millions around the world, the Vienna Philharmonic start the new year in customary fashion, at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna, bringing their message of hope, friendship and peace. Conducting for the first time is Canadian-born Yannick Nézet-Séguin, a conductor committed to rarely performed works. The waltzes, galops and polkas from the Strauss dynasty and their contemporaries will take centre stage but are heard alongside pieces being performed at the Vienna New Year's Day Concert for the very first time, including works by Josephine Weinlich and Florence Price. As always, the concert concludes with the ever-popular By the Beautiful Blue Danube and the foot-stamping Radetsky March.