New Year’s concert at ORF secured for five more years

New Year’s concert at ORF guaranteed for five more years

The Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert at ORF is guaranteed, not only on January 1, 2021. The current contract, which runs until 2022 inclusive, on the successful collaboration of the orchestra with the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, which regulates the transmission of the two most important classical events in the world, the New Year’s Concert and the Midsummer Night’s Concert was extended to another five years on Monday, December 28, 2020 at the Wiener Musikverein.

This means that ORF audiences are guaranteed to enjoy philharmonic music on New Years days or early summer from the baroque gardens of Schönbrunn Palace until 2027. The ORF productions of both concerts are watched by millions of people all over the world.

ORF CEO Dr. Alexander Wrabetz:

“It is a great pleasure for me that the ORF and the Vienna Philharmonic extend their excellent and successful long-term partnership in the field of New Year’s and Midsummer Night concerts for another five years. This ensures that the most important musical ambassadors of our country have the widest possible audience – in Austria as well as all over the world, and thanks to ORF broadcasts they can be shown in the best possible way at the highest technical level. Millions of people in more than 90 countries have the opportunity every year of experiencing this superior orchestra and thus Austrian culture and identity from its most beautiful side. Thank you all involved for the good cooperation. “

Daniel Froschauer, President of the Vienna Philharmonic:

“The Vienna Philharmonic is pleased that the excellent partnership with ORF can be expanded. This is a sign of the highest recognition. Our common focus remains adhering to the highest quality standards. Especially in challenging times like these, reliable cooperation and reliable is essential nothing to replace. “

Cooperation details

Since January 1, 1959, the ORF has broadcast the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert, which will celebrate its 80th anniversary on January 1, 2021 (81st concert, 63rd broadcast of the ORF). At the summer night concert, which was called “Concert for Europe” from 2004 to 2007, ORF has been the host station from the beginning. Meanwhile, both events inspire millions of viewers in more than 90 countries around the world each year. This great success would be unimaginable without the medium of television.

The contract between the Vienna Philharmonic and the ORF regulates the transmission of both concerts via television and radio (as well as online as live streaming and video on demand): ORF takes over the production (live) and in exchange, it receives the television broadcasting rights for Austria, South Tyrol and 3sat, as well as radio rights. The traditional ballet interludes, also produced by ORF, and the ORF film that has been shown since 1992 during the concert break will be jointly funded. Additionally, ORF is responsible for television broadcasts of selected concert pieces. In addition, the ORF may opt for a concert abroad by the Vienna Philharmonic, as most recently the Macao performance with Andrés Orozco-Estrada with Yuja Wang as soloist, presented in April 2020.

In addition to cooperation regarding New Year’s and Summer Night concerts, the Vienna Philharmonic and the ORF have valid framework agreements on the exclusive presentation of subscription concerts to the Philharmonic on TV (ORF III) and radio (Ö1) , via online streaming and video on demand (at ORF’s radio and television library), as well as on the classical music portal fidelio operated by ORF and Unitel (http://www.myfidelio.at).

The upcoming Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert can be seen live on ORF on January 1, 2021 at 11:15 am on ORF 2 and Ö1 and as a live broadcast via TVthek.ORF.at and oe1.ORF. at.