WIN! Vienna RSO Rings in 2026 with Strauss Gala

On December 31 the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra turns Guangzhou Opera House into a slice of Vienna for two consecutive galas that celebrate the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss II. The Austrian ensemble, celebrated for pairing Golden-Age elegance with fearless contemporary programming, will be led by French conductor Jérémie Rhorer, whose period-instrument background and Mozart expertise have won praise from The Guardian and The Times.

The 7.30pm concert, Germanic Poetry meets French Romance, begins with Beethoven’s storm-driven Egmont Overture and Schubert’s haunting Unfinished Symphony. After the interval the mood lightens: Bizet’s sun-drenched Farandole, Gounod’s swirling Faust Waltzes and Offenbach’s irrepressible Can-Can pave the way for Strauss’s Blue Danube, sending the first audience out with waltz-time warmth still in their ears.
At 10.30pm the programme turns exclusively to the Strauss dynasty. Fledermaus opens the ball, followed by fragrant Lemon Blossoms, the stately Emperor Waltz and the electrifying Thunder and Lightning Polka. A brief pause ushers in the signature sequence: The Blue Danube, Radetzky March, midnight greetings and the bubbly Champagne Polka that officially launches 2026.
From brooding Schubert to the last pop of a cork, the twin concerts offer a compact tour of Central-European sentiment and sparkle, all delivered in the polished, cinematic sound that has made the Vienna Radio Symphony a favourite of both traditional gala-goers and adventurous newcomers ready to greet the New Year in three-quarter time.

Performance Details

Dates: December 31

Time:  7.30pm & 10.30pm

Venue: Guangzhou Opera House No.1 Zhujiang Xi Lu, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe 天河区珠江新城珠江西路1号

Tickets: from RMB580

WIN!

We are offering TWO lucky readers of That's Guangzhou with ONE ticket to New Year’s Concert on December 31, 7.30pm.

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