Vienna sends the waltz into space: Cultural light signal for the honor of Strauss'

Vienna sends the waltz into space: Cultural light signal for the honor of Strauss'

On June 1, 2025 at 8:36 p.m., the well -known waltz "An der Beautiful Blue Donau" by Johann Strauss son was sent to space as an electromagnetic signal. The transfer took place from the European DSA 2 space station in Spain and is part of the ambitious initiative "Waltz into space", which was launched in cooperation with Wientourism, the European Space Organization (ESA) and the Vienna Philharmonic. This event marks the start of the celebrations on the occasion of the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss son.

The project refers to a variety of activities that Vienna plans to commemorate the "King of Waltz. Queen of Music". A total of around 65 events are planned over a period of 250 days. The signals sent also have the names of more than 13,700 registered ambassadors of the "space note". Among the prominent participants of the transfer included Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Viennese Mayor Michael Ludwig, who emphasized the cultural importance of the project.

cultural celebrations and concerts

Before the signal program, a concert took place on the evening before at the Vienna Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), under the direction of Peter Popelka. The waltz was performed there with light choreography in front of an enthusiastic audience, and the performance was broadcast live in Vienna, Spain and in the Madrid Planetarium.

Other festivities are planned for the “Space in the city” festival, which invites visitors to explore the cosmos through numerous activities. The next event, which is supposed to beat the cultural bridge between heaven and the earth, will be a concert in Valencia on June 3, 2025, followed by appearances in Barcelona and Madrid on June 4 and 5, 2025.

A look at the history of the waltz

The Viennese waltz is not only cultural, but also historical roots that go back by the early 18th century, became Viennese coffee houses such as the Café Rebhuhn to the center of cultural life. These cafes, in which people exchanged information about world -historical events, created a space for cultural exchange and contributed to the development of the waltz. Johann Strauss son, who is considered one of the main representatives of this music, created an imperishable classic with his masterpiece "An der Beautiful Blue Donau" from 1867, which became a symbol of Viennese ball culture.

The connection between music and the Viennese culture is deeply rooted, and the openness of the Habsburg monarchy promoted a multicultural environment in which the music of the Janissharies and the sounds of the waltz merged. Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms estimated this dance music and contributed to the fact that the waltz received the respect of serious composers, which still underlines its importance in music history.

Thanks to the current initiative, the waltz is now also the symbol of cultural cooperation between the nations and a timeless cultural heritage. The waltz sent fell together with the trajectory of the NASA probe Voyager 1, which has been in space since 1977 and creates another historical framework.

Vienna will also be hosting the ESA Living Planet Symposium to observe the straw, which takes place from June 23 to 27, 2025, and the preparations for the “Space in the city” festival show the commitment of the city for culture and science in accordance with the music tradition of the city.

The celebrations are not only expressed in Vienna, but also in several other cities in Europe, including Berlin and Frankfurt, where the Vienna Philharmonic will give a number of concerts.

For more information about the upcoming events and concerts, visit the websites of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic.

kosmo , Symphoniker and Berliner Philharmoniker .