In the few years of its existence, the Summer Night Concert with the Vienna Philharmonic has already established itself as a highly valued tradition. In the wonderful setting of the Schönbrunn Palace Park, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra offers the audience musical enjoyment of the highest standard, and all this with free admission. As part of this year's "Summer Night Concert", the orchestra will pay tribute to the 150th birthday of Jean Sibelius, the annual musical regent, by performing his famous symphonic poem "Finlandia". Other items on the programme include Richard Strauss' "Vienna Philharmonic Fanfare", Carl Nielsen's overture to the opera "Masquerade", Christian Sinding's "Spring Rush" and Edvard Grieg's "Peer Gynt Suite" No. 1.
For the first time at Schönbrunn, the Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, who has been celebrated on all international stages for decades, will appear as a soloist. He plays - according to the Nordic oriented concert program - Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor. For the first time, the Summer Night Concert is also the opening concert of the Vienna Festival and thus forms this year's prelude to Vienna's largest cultural festival.