There are few concerts in the world that are awaited with as much excitement as the New Year’s Concert from Vienna. Under the direction of Christian Thielemann, the Vienna Philharmonic ushers in the New Year 2019 with a concert in the magnificent Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein. The concert will be broadcast on TV and Radio to over ninety countries all around the world, reaching an audience of more than 50 million people. The 2019 New Year’s Concert will be conducted for the first time by Christian Thielemann. A native of Berlin, Thielemann has been a regular and welcome guest of the Vienna Philharmonic since 2000, with the result that his first New Year’s Concert may be seen as setting an example and providing an appropriate tribute to his previous work with the orchestra. According to the orchestra’s chairman, Daniel Froschauer, orchestra and musicians trust each other completely: “The profound musical understanding and trust that have existed from the outset and that have always functioned perfectly have subsequently borne remarkable fruit in the symphonic repertory as well.” Programme of the 2019 New Year’s Concert Carl Michael Ziehrer: Schönfeld March op. 422* Josef Strauß: Transactions Waltz op. 184 Josef Hellmesberger (ii): Elfin Dance Johann Strauß the Younger: Express, polka schnell op. 311** Pictures of the North Sea, waltz op. 390 Eduard Strauß: Post-Haste, polka schnell op. 259 Johann Strauß the Younger: Overture to the operetta The Gypsy Baron Josef Strauß: The Ballerina op. 227** Johann Strauß the Younger: Artists’ Life, waltz op. 316 The Bayadère, polka schnell op. 351 Eduard Strauß: Opera Soirée, polka française op. 162** Johann Strauß the Younger: Eva Waltz from the opera Knight Pázmán** Csárdás from the opera Knight Pázmán Egyptian March op. 335 Joseph Hellmesberger (ii): Entr’acte Waltz** Johann Strauß the Younger: In Praise of Women, polka mazur op. 310 Josef Strauß: Music of the Spheres, waltz op. 235 * Not previously performed at a New Year’s Concert ** Not previously performed by the Vienna Philharmonic