125 Years Wiener Symphoniker

125 Years Wiener Symphoniker

The anniversary season 24-25
Orchesterfoto der Wiener Symphoniker

On 30 October 2025, the Wiener Symphoniker will celebrate their 125th birthday. From the first concerts with the new chief conductor Petr Popelka to the celebratory concert on the orchestra's birthday, the 24-25 season is all about this great anniversary!

11 Concerts for the 

125. Birthday 

An entire season as a birthday celebration! The Wiener Symphoniker celebrate their 125th anniversary with 11 concerts that recall the orchestra's past and carry its spirit into the future. 

Even before his actual inaugural concert, chief conductor Petr Popelka recalls the premiere of Schönberg's Gurre-Lieder by the Wiener Symphoniker 111 years ago; he brings one of his great composer heroes with him to his inaugural concert: Béla Bartók, on a European tour Richard Strauss' Rosenkavalier Suite, which was premiered by the orchestra, and at the actual anniversary concert he conducts works by Alban Berg and Maurice Ravel, among others, which are also part of the Wiener Symphoniker's world premiere canon. 

Anton Bruckner's 9th Symphony was premiered by the Wiener Symphoniker in a version by Ferdinand Löwe - now conducted by Ingo Metzmacher. We celebrate the return of former chief conductors when Philippe Jordan conducts Gustav Mahler's 8th Symphony and Fabio Luisi conducts Franz Schmidt's The Book with Seven Seals. It will be particularly emotional when Marie Jacquot conducts the Adagio from Bruckner's 7th Symphony in a brass arrangement that was played in the Karlskirche after the composer's death. Gustav Mahler once conducted the Wiener Symphoniker at the Austrian premiere of his 6th Symphony, now Vladimir Jurowski is on the podium. The concert with Patrick Hahn continues the great premiere tradition when he performs Marcus Nigsch's Cello Concerto for the first time. After Arnold Schönberg himself conducted the world premiere of his version of Pelleas and Melisande, Lahav Shani will now take over.

To the anniversary concerts

Petr Popelka

The anniversary season of the Wiener Symphoniker is also the inaugural season of their new chief conductor Petr Popelka! In this interview, he reveals his vision for the Wiener Symphoniker, the programme for this special season and why Mozart is like brushing your teeth.

to the interview with Petr Popelka
Foto von Jan Nast

An orchestra is inspired by the sounds of its homeland, its people, the soundtrack of its city - by music from the past and the sounds of today.

Director Jan Nast on the anniversary season

Traditional highlights

The traditional Wiener Symphoniker annual highlights are of course not missing in the anniversary season: the Wiener Advent - the Advent concert in St. Stephen's Cathedral, the film music concert of the Cinema:Sound series in the Musikverein, the Beisl concerts - this year in the most beautiful bars in the Karmeliterviertel and of course the big Prater picnic on the last day of school before the summer holidays. 

Drei Musiker:innen im Konzerthausfoyer

The Wiener Symphoniker's popular chamber music series moves to the newly opened Wien Museum for its anniversary season! Exclusive guided tours and a concert on the theme guarantee special evenings. The series is already available as a subscription.

to the chamber music series at the Wien Museum

SUBSCRIPTIONS

THE BEST CONCERTS IN ONE PACKAGE

In addition to the chamber music series at the Wien Museum, the Wiener Symphoniker are once again offering their successful cycles in cooperation with the Wiener Konzerthausgesellschaft: In addition to the large Wiener Symphoniker cycle, the successful matinees on Sundays, the Fridays@7 with a relaxed finale in the foyer as well as the festive celebratory concerts and the successful youth series Vorhören! will continue.

The Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde organises the Wiener Symphoniker cycle and Die Große Symphonie with concerts by the Wiener Symphoniker at the Musikverein.

Cover und Innenseiten der Saisonbroschüre 24-25

All concerts and subscriptions of the anniversary season, exciting texts and interviews as well as highlights from the archives of the Wiener Symphoniker: browse online, download or order free of charge to your home!

to the season brochure
Die Wiener Symphoniker im Musikverein 1900

From the founding concert with the first chief conductor Ferdinand Löwe to the legendary "Watschnkonzert", changing orchestra names and chief conductors, the times of new beginnings after the war, important world premieres to the venues today: 125 years full of highs and lows!

the History of the Wiener Symphoniker
Viele gezeichnete Instrumente

Wie sehen die Wiener Symphoniker ihre Geigen, Trompeten oder ihre Harfe? In persönlichen Zeichnungen zeigen unsere Musikerinnen und Musiker ihre täglichen Begleiter. 

zu den Zeichnungen