Vienna and top-quality music have gone hand-in-hand since before Mozart performed in the city as a child prodigy. Several classical concerts are slated for the coming months—here are just a few worth catching while in town.
What to See
OsterKlang 2014 will include The St. John Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach, Missa Solemnis by Ludwig van Beethoven and Russian choirs performing sacred music. Throughout this eight-day festival, audiences can listen to performances from top companies at the Theater an der Wien and other locations in the capital, including the Konzerthaus and the Minoritenkirche.
April 13-20, www.osterklang.at
Then there's the Spring in Vienna concert at the Musikverein, where the Wiener Symphoniker under Simone Young will perform works by composers including Franz Schubert, Richard Wagner, Johann Strauss the younger and Franz Lehár, with the tenor Johan Botha in a starring role.
April 20, Musikverein, Musikvereinsplatz 1, 1010 Vienna, www.musikverein.at
On May 29, the annual Summer Night’s Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will be a must-see for locals and visitors alike. Christoph Eschenbach is taking up the baton for the 2014 event, which includes star pianist Lang Lang as soloist.
May 29, Schönbrunn Palace, Schönbrunner Schlossstrasse, 1130 Vienna, www.sommernachtskonzert.at
From May 9 to June 15, The Vienna Festival will offer 37 productions from 22 countries, including two world premieres, three new productions and two European premieres. Highlights include Michael Haneke’s Madrid interpretation of Così fan tutte and concerts by German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk at the Burgtheater.
May 9-June 15, www.festwochen.at
Where to Stay
Vienna also has several luxe hotels slated to open this season. The Meliá Vienna will be the brand's first Austrian property when it opens later this month as part of a brand-new skyscraper—the Donau-City (DC) Tower–offering top views over the city.
And in June, Austria will get its first Park Hyatt Hotel when the Park Hyatt Vienna opens right in the middle of town. The hotel will be in a listed 100-year-old building in the new Golden Quarter at the square Am HOF. This area is one of the most exclusive shopping district in Vienna, just steps away from the fashion houses and boutiques of Kohlmarkt, and within easy walking distance of the city’s opera house, historic monuments and museums.