Johann Strauss Orchestra

The Most Famous Johann Strauss Orchestra of Vienna at a New Year's Gala in Krakow

Johann Strauss—a composer whose melodies were loved by the whole world—will be heard in Krakow in a new way at a New Year's concert. Considered the first pop culture star, the creator of compositions like "The Blue Danube" returns with his music, thanks to the most famous Johann Strauss Orchestra. Wonderful waltzes, polkas, and marches will be presented with a modern video setting and featuring outstanding soloists.

The New Year's concert of the most famous Johann Strauss Orchestra of Vienna will have an amazing and elegant setting. The event will transport the audience directly to the heart of the Austrian music capital with all the dignity and emotion that the sounds of a waltz, polka, or march bring. An exclusive evening of classics with a modern flair awaits. It’s a gala that will captivate music lovers! A true New Year's concert straight from Vienna.

Johann Strauss was a 19th-century superstar—his music was everywhere, played at balls, in salons, and at public concerts. He made the waltz a mass phenomenon, especially in Vienna, but also internationally.

Strauss traveled with his orchestra across Europe and even to the USA, where he reached the World's Fair in Boston in 1872, among other places. In the United States, he performed for tens of thousands of spectators, giving a megaconcert—a unique event for that time. Strauss was not only a composer but also a talented conductor and showman who radiated energy and charisma—in the style of modern pop stars. His works—such as the world-famous "The Blue Danube"—were catchy, danceable, and appealed to a wide audience, much like contemporary pop music, and at the time, they won the hearts of people all over the world. Strauss turned the waltz into a true spectacle; his compositions were melodic, captivating, and accessible. He was the first mass idol! To this day, the work of the entire Strauss dynasty (in addition to the father, his three sons and grandson also created music) enjoys international acclaim and is played in the most famous concert halls around the world.

The Johann Strauss Orchestra, with Austrian roots and interpreting the sound of the Strauss family, will be conducted by the German Markus Huber. He has worked with legendary conductors such as Herbert von Karajan and James Levine. On stage, we will also see three soloists who have performed in the most important opera houses in the world for years. They will be: Thomas Hampson—a baritone with extraordinary interpretative power, Saimir Pirgu—a tenor with a delightful vocal purity and stage charisma, and Regula Mühlemann—a soprano with a captivating timbre and masterful technique. Together, they will present the greatest masterpieces of the Strauss family.

The concert program will include, among others: the world's most famous waltz, "The Blue Danube," as well as the energetic and graceful "Tritsch-Tratsch Polka," "Emperor Waltz," "Roses from the South," and a medley of Strauss's most popular Viennese melodies, specially created for this extraordinary gala in Krakow.

For everyone who wants to start the year 2026 with class, this is a must-see event.