Stage and screen legend Julie Andrews returns for the fourth time to host the festive annual New Year’s celebration with the Vienna Philharmonic, under the direction of Franz Welser-Möst from Vienna’s Musikverein. This is Welser-Möst’s second time at the podium of this much cherished event; the last was 2011.
From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2013, featuring the infectious melodies of the Strauss Family and contemporaries, will air live on Great Performances, Tuesday, January 1 at 2:30 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings) with an encore performance that evening at 8 p.m.
Watch a preview:
Great Performances is a production of THIRTEEN for WNET, one of America’s most prolific and respected public media providers. For 50 years, THIRTEEN has been making the most of the rich resources and passionate people of New York and the world, reaching millions of people with on-air and online programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites students of all ages to have fun while learning.
The venerable concert is the largest worldwide event in classical music reaching over a billion people annually through radio and television in 72 countries. The Vienna Philharmonic’s traditional New Year’s program has showcased Viennese musical culture at the highest level, and since the first television broadcast in 1959, sent the world a New Year’s greeting in the spirit of hope, friendship and peace. (The telecast has been a public television tradition on PBS since 1985.)
The opportunity of Andrews celebrating New Years in Vienna has become a most pleasurable tradition. “I’m so delighted to return to Vienna at this magical time of year. This enchanting city never ceases to take my breath away with its fairytale beauty and grace and history. The Strauss waltzes provide a most delectable soundtrack to the visual delights that surround me there.”
She has been a frequent and luminous presence on Great Performances, starting with “An Evening with Alan Jay Lerner” (1989); “Julie Andrews in Concert” (1990); “Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II” (1995); “Back on Broadway” which spotlighted her return to the Great White Way in “Victor/Victoria” (1995); “Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh” (1998); “My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies” (1999); its follow-up “My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs” (2001); and the restoration of the classic 1957 “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” (2004). She also hosted the Emmy Award-winning series Broadway: The American Musical in 2004. Andrews will soon be featured in the celebration of Great Performances’ 40th anniversary, currently planned to air in spring/summer 2013.
Great Performances is funded by the Irene Diamond Fund, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, Vivian Milstein, Vera von Kuffner Eberstadt, The Starr Foundation, The Agnes Varis Trust, and the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, public television viewers, and PBS. Exclusive corporate support for the concert is provided by Rolex.
From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2013 is produced by Heidelinde Rudy, and directed by Karina Fibich, with John Walker as producer/writer. For Great Performances, John Walker and Richard R. Schilling are producers; Bill O’Donnell is series producer; David Horn is executive producer.
I, too, would like to obtain the ordering information for the DVD and CD of this progam. What a performance! Please reply with the needed information. Thank you,
Bernie
Thank you for showing this wonderful concert! Just the right way to start the new year and the perfect end to the holiday season. Never miss it.
Will there be a DVD of this program, and how soon???
I would like the 1 800 # so I can order the DVD of the New Years Eve Concert from Vienna
A relative from the Island of Jamaica, West Indies, called to tell me the Great Performances Vienna Concert 2013 was on. Only had chance to see a few pieces. Could not find the way to order one or two DVDs but left a message for Member Services to call me on the 2nd. I have signed up to receive program information. Had the pleasure of seeing Andre Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra 3 times when he played at Grand Prairie through PBS auspices. He has not been back to Texas in years. Very sad. Thank you.
I too would like the phone number to order the DVD of the New Year’s Concert. My 86 year old mother-in-law watched it and loved it, but too missed the number. Please, it would bless her if I could get the it ordered for her.
I would like to have information on the program. Is there a CD of the concert for sale?
I absolutely loved the Vienna, The New Years Concert 2013. The # went too fast about ordering and I so want a video. Can you tell me where I can get one? Thank you so much!
The DVD number, as displayed during the credits, is 1-800-336-1917. There is also a 2CD set.
To Cynthia’s comment: To what year the Concert included The Lippizaner Horses and Vienna Boys Choir – I saw the program in 1991, if I remember correctly. I saw the concert on Jan. 1st and I went to a performance of the Lippizaner Horses in rural Indiana in April. I kept remarking how extraordinary it was to see the horses four months apart. I hope this helps.
The Vienna 2013 New Year’s Concert was totally aweome! It would be so cool to see it in person, but watching it on TV is the next best thing.
I stumbled upon this concert tonight. I had not watched the previous ones. It was totally awesome. I am going to order the DVD.
how can i order the dvd?
I would like to purchase the Vienna New Year’s Concert 2013 DVD. Can you give me information as to where to order it?
This year’s concert was one of the best ever. I do miss Walter Cronkite, but loved Julie Andrews as host and hope she will return for many years to come. Watching this wonderful performance is such a delightful way to ring in the New Year – especially after watching hours of football! Thank you for bringing such talented musicians and such beautiful scenery into our homes. Happy New Year!
Really enjoyed this year’s concert and the music selection from the other composers. Appreciated that Welser-Most chose music that related to Johann Strauss’ style. I feel this was the best concert I’ve heard in a few years. We watch this concert as part of our Father’s birthday celebration. Appreciate PBS’ continued support of this program. Happy New Year!
All versions of the 2013 Vienna Concert are available unedited, sorry PBS, at Amazon.com. That includes CD, DVD regular and Blu-ray. I have been collecting these for many decades and was amazed at PBS for not replaying this at more reasonable times and dates.
I was deeply disappointed by this concert. I have dvd’s of New Year’s performances conducted by Carlos Kleiber, and they were all music. No dance, no tourist views of Vienna, no extraneous hosts/hostesse. Just music.
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