Vienna holds a series of events to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth

On the occasion of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday in 2020, most of his works will be played again in the place where he created and premiered. Many important exhibitionsdedicated to this music king of the year will be held. People can finally enjoy his masterpiece again.

Beethoven Memorial in Vienna

For all Beethoven fans, the Beethoven Museum opened in the 19th arrondissement in 2017 is definitely a place of pilgrimage, where numerous exhibits show the life scene of the master of music in Vienna. In this house, Beethoven composed many piano and violin sonatas, as well as the drama " Christus am Olberge" and "The Symphony No.3 in E flat major，Op.55". Here, Beethoven also wrote the very famous letter never sent to his brother: "Heiligenstadt Testament", in which the great musician talked about his worsening hearing loss.

The Pasqualati House is located in Mölker Bastei in the center of Vienna. Beethoven lived intermittently for eight years in an apartment provided by the patron Johann Baptist John Freiherr von Pasqualati. Beethoven wrote the opera "Fidelio" here, composed some symphonies and the famous piano piece "Phil Elise". Now this apartment has been turned into a memorial.

In the Secession Building (Secessionsgebäude), you can see Gustav Klimt's famous "Beethoven Frieze". This 34-meter-long, two-meter-high mural tells Beethoven’s "Symphony No.9 in d Minor, Op.125" and was interpreted by Richard Wagner. It is considered one of the main works of the Vienna Art Nouveau. In 2020, visitors can watch Klimt’s masterpieces while listening to the fourth movement of Beethoven’s "Symphony No.9 in d Minor, Op.125" through the headphones.

The old musical instrument collection of the Hofburg Palace dedicated the magnificent marble hall to Beethoven’s time. Visitors can also see Beethoven's bust and two portraits here.

Address: Beethoven Museum, Probusgasse 6

Postcode: 1090

Website: www.wienmuseum.at

Address: Pasqualati House, Mölker Bastei 8

Post Code: 1010

Website: www.wienmuseum.at

Address: Secession Exhibition Hall, 12 Friedrichstrasse

Post Code: 1010

Website: www.secession.at

Address: Old Musical Instruments Collection, Hofburg Palace, Neuburg, Heroes' Square (World Museum) (Weltmuseum Wien, Heldenplatz)

Post Code: 1010

Website: www.khm.at

Highlights

Beethoven's music will be played again in Vienna. One of the highlights is that Beethoven’s music and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s play "Egmont" will be combined together at a evening musical at the Theater an der Wien, along with Beethoven’s only opera "Fidelio". Rudolf Buchbinder is one of the important Beethoven performers. He will perform all his piano sonatas at the Vienna Concert Hall (Wiener Konzerthaus) (seven nights from October 11, 2020 to May 25, 2021). The Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under the Austrian Broadcasting Group will perform Beethoven's "Symphony No.9 in d Minor, Op.125" in the concert hall on October 16, 2020 under the purpose of "Being Together: A Global Ode to Joy". On September 27, 2020, the Württemberg Reutlingen Philharmonic Orchestra will perform at the Music Association. The repertoire includes Beethoven's seventh symphony. The Japan Festival Orchestra and Chorus will perform the Piano Concerto No. 3 and Symphony No. 9 on October 11, 2020. The musicians of the "Bartolomeys" will "pay tribute to Beethoven" in the Music and Theater Hall of the Vienna Children's Choir of the MuTh on two nights (October 15 and December 1, 2020).

On November 21, 2020, you can hear Beethoven's Mass in C major at St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom). To commemorate the protagonist of the year, the Hofburg will organize a large-scale concert with its collection of old musical instruments on September 27, 2020, and hold an anniversary party on December 17, 2020. The theater group Funk Theater will start with Beethoven’s frequently changing address and bring a mobile theater tour "Ludwig van Beethoven-The Wanderer". A life-size Beethoven doll will appear in front of tourists on multiple dates and locations, and will be accompanied by music to take tourists to Vienna in the Biedermeier era.

Address: Theater an der Wien

Postcode: 1060

Website: www.theater-wien.at

Address: Vienna Concert Hall, Rottlingen Street 20

Post Code: 1030

Website: www.konzerthaus.at

Address: Music Association, Music Association Plaza No. 1

Post Code: 1010

Website: www.musikverein.at

Address: MuTh Vienna Boys Choir Concert Hall (Konzertsaal der Wiener Sangerknaben), Am Augartenspitz 1

Post Code: 1020

Website: muth.at

Address: St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Stephen’s Square (Stephandom, Stephansplatz)

Post Code: 1010

Website: www.kunstkultur.com

Address: Old Musical Instruments Collection, Hofburg Palace, Neuburg, Heroes' Square (Heldenplatz)

Post Code: 1010

Website: www.khm.at

Beethoven-Special Exhibition

Until November 2020: Beethoven and his contemporaries

The Funeral Museum (Bestattungsmuseum) of the Vienna Central Cemetery shows hundreds of peculiar exhibits related to the unique Viennese funeral culture, such as reusable savings coffins. The Beethoven special exhibition introduces Beethoven's life and death. In addition, you can see the introduction of Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Schubert.

Address: Funeral Museum in the Vienna Central Cemetery (Bestattungsmuseum, Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234)

Post Code: 110

Website: www.bestattungsmuseum.at

Until January 10, 2022: Beethoven, World of the Man and Spark of the Gods

The Austrian National Library will exhibit original letters and manuscripts on Beethoven’s extraordinary musical works in its luxurious hall. The manuscript page of the "Symphony No.9 in d Minor, Op.125" and the manuscript of Beethoven's only violin concerto (work 61) will be shown in this exhibition. In addition to the 130 letters of the music master, the National Library will also exhibit the music collection owned by the Hoboken Collection, which includes the first editions and early published works of almost all Beethoven's works.

Address: Austrian National Library, Grand Hall, 1 Joseph Square

Post Code: 1010

Website: www.onb.ac.at

Until January 30, 2022: Three masters of the Viennese classical music school: Haydn-Mozart-Beethoven, common points-similarities-contradictions

These three composers shaped the music history of their time, the "Vienna Classical School". This exhibition traces the common points, similarities and contradictions of the three great men in the music industry. Mozart and Haydn were close friends, and they played music together at Mozart's house (now Mozart's House in Vienna). Beethoven wanted to be a student of Mozart for a while, and later he became a teacher of Haydn.

Address: Mozart House, Vienna, 5 Cathedral Street (Domgasse 5)

Post Code: 1010

Website: www.mozarthausvienna.at

From September 29, 2020 to January 24, 2021: Dynamic Beethoven

This exhibition is held at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. It uses oil paintings, drawings and sculptures, as well as films, videos and performances to build a visual bridge connecting the Beethoven era and the present. In the exhibition, you can see many paintings and sculpture created by well-known artists.

Address: Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum, Maria Theresia Square (Maria-Theresien Platz)

Post Code: 1010

Website: www.khm.at, www.beethovenbewegt.at

From November 27, 2020 to April 4, 2021: Inspired by Beethoven, a pictorial symphony from Vienna in 1900

In 1899, Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 6 in F major，Op. 68” inspired the Vienna Art Nouveau painter and Joseph Maria Auchentaller, Klimt’s colleague to create a memorial pictorial plan for the music room of the jewelry manufacturer Scheid. These pictures firstly repaired at the Leopold Museum show the adoration of Beethoven by Secessionists around 1900 in Vienna.

Address: Leopold Museum, Museum Quarter, 1 Museum Square (1 Museumplatz), Vienna

Post Code: 1070

Website: www.leopoldmuseum.org