Postkarte (coloriertes Foto), nach 1913

Wiener Konzerthausgesellschaft

The Wiener Konzerthaus represents a living, evolving tradition, coloured by the spirits of its artists and the enthusiasm of its audiences. Anyone entering the building can immediately feel the vitality that has characterised it during the 90 years of its existence. The Konzerthaus does not view itself as a historic temple but rather as a platform for a type of art which, at every rehearsal and at every concert, seeks to be re-invented.

Since its completion of the building in 1913, the Konzerthaus has been managed by the Wiener Konzerthaus Society. Today, it is still a private, non-profit organisation with only 12,6% of its expenditure covered by public funds. Benefactors, sponsors and institutional partners of the Wiener Konzerthaus Society also make substantial contributions. With around 500 of its own events and over 55 subscription series per year, the Wiener Konzerthaus Society offers an extremely comprehensive and highly varied programme. Apart from the full classical repertoire comprising orchestral and choral concerts, concert performances of operatic works, chamber music, piano recitals and Lieder recitals, the programme also features children’s concerts, contemporary, jazz, folk and film music, and series of literature readings.

The subscription series form the nucleus of the Konzerthaus’s artistic identity. However, the programme offered by the Wiener Konzerthaus also embraces numerous special concerts as well as the city’s most exciting music festivals. Held in January, the «Resonanzen» festival is specially tailored to early music lovers, while the «Wien Modern» festival, which is based at the Konzerthaus and takes place each year in November, is devoted to contemporary composers. Every spring sees international guest stars performing at the «International Music Festival», founded in 1947.