Masters of the Waltz

When it comes to festivity and elegance in the world of music, few names shine brighter than Johann Strauss II. This year marks the 200th anniversary of his birth – celebrated with a concert brimming with sparkling waltzes and whirling polkas.

But Johann Strauss II was not alone in putting the waltz on the map. The programme also features works by other masters of the genre – including Franz Lehár and Franz von Suppè. Making her Konserthuset debut is internationally acclaimed American soprano Emily Pogorelc, performing operetta gems. A golden age in Vienna comes to life – almost like a Viennese New Year’s concert in the autumn darkness.

Frivolous and superficial? Not quite – this music demands great care and finesse to truly soar. The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra is led by a connoisseur of the genre: Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck, who grew up with these Viennese delicacies. His early years as a violist with the Vienna Philharmonic have deeply influenced his work as a conductor and his ability to uncover the music’s deeper layers.