Film Festival Vienna

credits: orf.at

For more For more than 20 years, each summer the Film Festival has inspired up to 700,000 visitors from within Austria and abroad.

The open-air spectacle in the unique surrounding of Vienna's Rathausplatz offers you first-class music and top international gastronomy for free. Experience the variety of cuisines with music all over - all al-fresco style! More details here
Not just the programme with top productions from the classical, opera, jazz and pop worlds and the culinary offerings inspire with their outstanding quality; its high-quality technical implementation also makes the Festival an overwhelming success and an annual summer highlight in the heart of Vienna.

Some highlights of the summer:


DO 03.07.  Legends – Live at Montreux
SA  05.07.  Orfeo ed Euridice
DI  08.07.  Frank Sinatra – A Man And His Music Featuring Nancy Sinatra
MI  09.07.  Marvin Gaye Greatest Hits - Live in Amsterdam
                  In Memoriam Paco de Lucía
DO 10.07. Im weißen Rössl
FR  11.07.  In Memoriam Claudio Abbado
SA 12.07.  Romeo und Julia
SO 13.07.  Aida - Tutto Verdi
MO 14.07. Fantasia
MI  16.07.  Richard Strauss
SA  19.07.  Glen Hansard plays Baloise Session

Robbie Williams in Vienna

Book your tickets now 

and stay in our apartments just minutes away from the venue!

You will love the mediterranean air and

the excellent food in Vienna at that time!

Vienna in summer - definitely a good choice!

Katie Melua in Vienna and the rest of Austria

On Friday, June 22nd Katie kicked off her live programm with a stunning performance at Hampton Court Palace in London.

The impressive surrounding was by far a well chosen start to her tour, which will soon bring her to Austria too.

So if you want to experience Katie live save these dates, wherever you are in Austria:

17 07 2012 Innbruck Saal Tirol

20 07 2012 Linz Domplatz

05 11 2012 Vienna Stadthalle

06 11 2012 Vienna Stadthalle

bookings can be made here

Watch out how Katie improvised at the gig last Friday in London - when sound suddenly decided to call it a day:

Vienna's commitment to Diversity - The Pride Show

This year's Vienna Pride runs from June 12 to 16, 2012. 

A "Pride Village" will be set up on Rathausplatz: huge tents in the middle of town, offering a mix of culture, show, food and information.

The highlight of the event is the Rainbow Parade on Vienna's Ringstraße on Saturday, June 16.

Gays, lesbians, drag queens, leather boys, transgenders and many more arrive on trailers, motorbikes, in carriages or on foot and party along sending out a signal against discrimination. 

Vienna's Ringstraße will therefore be closed to traffic. The Rainbow Parade will make its way around the entire ring road this year (start and end: Rathausplatz). 

The closing event, the "Pride Show", takes place at Rathausplatz again - as a huge, stunning open-air party with an extensive show program and free entry. Once the open-air is over, the party continues, with "Pride Parties" being celebrated in many clubs until the early morning hours.

More than 100,000 visitors are expected. Join in too, watch, enjoy, take pics and show your commitment to diversity!

The Philharmonics

Click here 

 to listen 

to The Philharmonics!

 

Once you listen to them, you can't get enough!

The 7-boys-group are a spin-off of the Wiener Philharmoniker, 

one of the most prestigious and definitely the best orchestra of the world!

Classic combined with jazz and soul!
Stunning!

Enjoy them!

Vienna Opera Ball 2012 - 7.45pm

Red Carpet is laid out - few celeb spotters find their way

still some time to wait!

5.200 guests are expected!

Bon Jovi back to Vienna

After 3 long years they are back!

In 2008 when Bon Jovi visited Austria and showed off their rock talent they chose Ebreichsdorf as their concert location.
Ironically Ebreichsdorf, our home town! This little village south of Vienna, a bit sleepy, for sure very conservative but that comes with a horse racing ground, by courtesy of Frank Stronach, the austro-canadian self-made man.
The trouble was built-in. Excellent concert, but chaotic logistics regarding on and off-transport!

This time the venue seems to be a much better option:
The Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna, THE austrian football stadium. By far not as big as the top stadion of the world with 150.000 seats in Pjonjang and only half of the capacity of Wembley with 90.000, but anyway! And since the EURO 08 the stadion even has a heated green - anyone know, why we need that?

And this Saturday, 22nd of July we expect 35.000 fans to join in!

The Ernst Happel Stadion is a 30min walk along the former "imperial avenue" the Praterallee ..... if you have opted for bluedanubeapartment. Or you take the Ubahn and drop off 3 stops later! It can't be easier!!!

This time we are already fully booked with guests from Germany, who took the chance for a Vienny City trip and mix it up with a hopefully unforgettable Bon Jovi gig just around the corner! Well done!

Did you know, by the way that Jon named the band Bon Jovi because this name was more simple and sounded more like the name of a band than 'Bongiovi'. Jon was born John Francis Bongiovi.

Let's just hope that Richie Sambora doesn't have to comment on our austrian red-white-red flag, as he will see only a grey misch-masch. Never forget he's blind to red, greens and browns!

While the New Jersey boys are currently playing in Athens, obviously the Greeks do have money for the gig, but not for paying their taxes, the final stage setup in Vienna is under way.

And if you fancy to be a paparazzi, hurry up and position yourself at all sides 'n' corners of the Hotel Imperial, where the boys will reside.

A Freebie in town - Summer Night's Concert at Schoenbrunn Palace

Summer is here!

Morning temps around 21 Celcius, noon around 30 and very pleasant evening temps of 23.
That is Vienna end of May!


Don't miss the endless al-fresco bars, pubs and open-air-stages AND prepare for one of the most sought-after freebie-concert in Vienna:

Summer Night's Concert Schönbrunn 2011

Conductor: Valery Gergiev

Thursday, 2nd June 2011, 9pm

Schoenbrunn Palace Gardens, in front of Neptune's Fountain, 

1130 Vienna 

The unique baroque surroundings of Schoenbrunn Palace offer a great scenery for this excellent concert played by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

Like every year admission is absolutely free and the event will take place with good weather only.

There is an alternative date in case of rain, but it is not published yet. Let's hope the weather god will mean it well.

Also not published is the detailed "chartlist", but you can expect hits from Josef Strauss, Franz Liszt, Joseph Lanner, Johann Strauss, Richard Strauss, Jacques Offenbach or Maurice Ravel.

More than 30.000 guest are expected! 

Here some advices:

- arrive early to guarantee access to the more frontern areas

- wear kind of slippers as you'll walk on gravel paths and hi-heels will definitely be out of place

- consider to pack a rug or a folding chair, as the mass is not provided with seating and you may find a cosy place on the green

-  finally we suggest to take a picnic-hamper with you and some bottles of wine as food and refreshments are quite lousy

-  AND: use the U-Bahn U4 coming from centre of town, get in the first wagon and exit with the elevator at Schoenbrunn stop. You just have to walk 5 more minutes from there

ENJOY and maybe you'll catch a glimpse of me!

Easter 2011 in Vienna with Classical Music - Osterklang and Vienna Spring Festival

Easter week is probably one of the nicest times to visit Vienna (besides spring, summer, autumn and winter). As the New Year's Concert is long gone by now, it is time to dive into Viennas classical spring. There are (amogst many others) two events which you can enjoy these days - Osterklang in the Theater an der Wien from 15th to 25th April, and of course the Vienna Spring Festival, this year for the twentieth time, from 26th March to 17th May in the Musikverein.

Osterklang will host international stars like Magdalena Kožená, Patricia Petibon and Annette Dasch as well as the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, who will perform the opening. Further highlights will be Antonín Dvořák's Biblical Songs, Josef Suk's Asrael, Franz Liszt's Legend of Saint Elisabeth and the opening opera Dialogues des Carmélites of Francis Poulenc.

The Vienna Spring Festival will be the home for around 70 concerts with one clear highlight: the newly restored organ. It was the star at the opening concert, and you will have alltogether 8 opportunities to listen to the now fourth organ in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein.

More information here, on Osterklang and the Vienna Spring Festival

Vienna Pop Festival 2011

It is less than a month to go before one of the many music festivals in Vienna is opening its doors - the 'Vienna Popfest'. The open air festival is running from 5th to 8th May, and as at many of these events in Vienna, the entry is free. Although the festival features popular music, the venue is a classic one - the lake stage in front of the baroque St.Charles church in the centre of Vienna. You might be wondering why it is called lake stage - well, other Austrian festivals like Bregenz or Moerbisch have their lake stages too, and as there is quite a big pond in front of the church... 

The festival is going to host numerous Austrian artists like rapper Skero, the new vocal sensation Lylit, or political singer songwriter Gustav. There will be around 40 acts, and the final program can be found here from 14th April.

Directions from bluedanube apartments - easy as usual. U1/U2/U4 station Karlsplatz, and a short 5 minute walk from there will take you right into the heart of Austrian popular music.

The Debutant Girl of the Vienna Opera Ball 2011

This comes up as a big surprise:

Every year, L'oreal chooses one "Debutant"-girl to be the face of the Ball.

May I proudly present the this year's beauty:

Gloria, the daugther of our good old friends and neighbours!
Wow, we are so proud!!!!! Gloria, you look absolutely gorgeous and stunning!

And Gloria is not only a beauty, but an impressive, smart girl with wit, charme and character!

http://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/Content.Node/home/opernball/opernball.wmv
View a video to get a glimpse of the Opera Ball

http://www.oe24.at/kultur/slideshow/Opernball-Die-Pressekonferenz/18434569
Yesterday's press conference

New Year's Concert in Vienna

Only some more hours to go .... until the New Year is here!
Our apartment is sold out and we hope that our guests will have a wonderful New Year's Eve and a relaxing and joyful New Year's Day!

There is one more information about Vienna and New Year you shouldn't leave out ....

We have the most extraordinary and unique New Year's Concert, taking place every year here in Vienna. The "Wiener Philharmoniker" is definitely the best orchestra for waltz music in the world!
Place: the best venue for classic concerts again in the world: The "Wiener Musikvereinssaal"
Date: 1st January 11am

Since 1941 this concert takes place every year and is broadcasted in 70 countries of the world.
Traditionally the concert is directed by different conductors, here is a list of some of them:

Herbert von Karajan (1987)  - Claudio Abbado (1988 und 1991)
Carlos Kleiber (1989 und 1992) - Zubin Mehta (1990, 1995, 1998, 2007)
Riccardo Muti (1993, 1997, 2000, und 2004) - Lorin Maazel (1994, 1996, 1999 und 2005)
Seiji Ozawa (2002) -Nikolaus Harnoncourt (2001, 2003)
Mariss Jansons (2006)-  Georges Prêtre (2008, 2010)

This year it will be Franz Welser-Möst

Ahhh, by the way, only until recently this orchestra was a boy group, but now they have girls there too ... well, some things take longer in this world ...

Why not taking part? Well, the problem is, that this is the maybe best sold out event in the world. Tickets can only purchased by a raffle - so it's definitely luck.

Or you have high diplomatic connections or relations ..... than you might be lucky again and receive tickets.

But if you wanna try, here are the links for the raffle ..... we too will try, so maybe we will be able to offer next year a stay in our apartment in combination with the entry to this unique concert.

Deutsch:  http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/upload/files/njk_verlosungsinfo_10-11_de_v01.pdf

English:    http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/upload/files/njk_verlosungsinfo_10-11_en_v01.pdf
Espanol:   http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/upload/files/njk_verlosungsinfo_10-11_es_v01.pdf
Francais:  http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/upload/files/njk_verlosungsinfo_10-11_fr_v01.pdf
Italiano:    http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/upload/files/njk_verlosungsinfo_10-11_it_v01.pdf
Japanese: http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/upload/files/njk_verlosungsinfo_10-11_ja_v01.pdf

New Year Trail in Vienna

Now, that one party is over, Christmas, we can prepare for the next big thing!
New Year's Eve! "Silvester" as the locals say!

If you spend that night in Vienna you should take a walk into the city centre, as this is one  huge stage.
Thousands of visitors are attracted every year to the trail with entertainment and food starting already around 2pm.

If you're keen on dancing, you can brush up your dancing skills guided by an expert, who will ensure, that you are able to waltz into the new Year.

A whole bunch of stages offer music of different styles and performances all over the city centre. Everywhere food stalls with traditional Viennese and international delicacies.

Until midnight everyone lingers around, drinking, dancing and singing ..... waiting only for the countdown to go. And then: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ..... New Year is here! The chimes of the Pummerin, the old bell in St. Stephens Cathedral, will sound, surrounded by fireworks all over the town.

The party goes on on the street until 2am and then lots of bars are still open to party until early morning.

If you want to continue with the tradition, somehow you must stay fit, as at 11am the New Year's Concert on New Year's day is an absolute must .... we'll report on that tomorrow!

Vienna Opera Ball ... and 150 Other Balls

Now, that we have successfully approached the carnival season and the christmas market season, Vienna prepares also for the ball season. As you see, Viennese people love to enjoy these chilly and quite depressing months of the year by dancing and drinking!

Combine a stylish gown with glamour, elegance, waltz and lots of champagne and indulge in society like the emperors, queens and kings did. Head out for a traditional ball in Vienna.

Meanwhile the season stretches from November to August. Business over tradition! Traditionally the ball season ends on "Faschingsdienstag" the day before "Aschermittwoch. In 2011 this will be the 8th and 9th March then.
"Faschingsdienstag" is the Mardi Gras in France or the Pancake-day in Britain. And the following day is the Ash Wednesday. But this is another story, we'll report on that later.

It is said, that there are approx 150 balls taking place in Vienna. But only a handful are the very traditional ones. It has become custom that groups of people started to organize a ball to party within their community. Let us have a look what kind of "newer" balls there are on offer:

Ball of the chimney sweepers
Ball of the police
Ball of Slovakia
Ball of the viennese butchers
Ball of the weightlifters
Russian Ball
Ball of Greece
Ball of viennese confectioners

Just to give you an idea.
And there are many high schools, dancing schools and universities organising balls for their students, friends and families.

The more traditional "waltz-parties" are the ones in beautiful venues, having a long history

31st Dec -  Kaiserball
Wr Hofburg   traditional, nice way to slip into the new year, grand location

14th Jan  -  Blumenball
Wr Rathaus   traditional, flowers wherever you look, nice location

20th Jan  -  Philharmonikerball
Musikverein  tradtional, beautiful location, if you can't make it to the new year's concert

22th Jan  -  Pharmacyball
Wr Hofburg  if you love to be surrounded by pills and drugs

29th Jan  -  Ärzteball
Wr Hofburg  if you are keen to dance with your GP

3rd  Feb  -  Immobilienball  
Wr Hofburg  if you are more into property

25th Feb  -  Kaffeesiederball
Wr Hofburg  nowhere else in the world you can find that many coffeehouse owners

7th Mar   -   Rudolfina Redoute

The countdown is on ...

While the Londoners soon have their "Jingle bell ball", which has nothing to do with a real ball, here in Vienna we have a whole ballseason, which will start off shortly ....
We will issue all dates and recommend the best balls for you: traditional, fancy, modern, posh ... you'll name it!

Staying at bluedanube apartments enables you to enjoy the ballseason in a very convenient way: the top venues are just a very very short taxi drive away: Save money, save time and start the night relaxed!
You even can hire a carriage, the Viennese "Fiaker", as the distances are that near! You only have to wrap up to avoid freezing when you are dressed up in your fancy cloth.

We'll keep you posted .....

185 years ago ....

This is it!
185 years ago, on 25th October 1825, on a similar rainy days as today, Johann Strauss was born.

He was one of THE Austrian composers, "the king of waltz". As so often he should become a banker rather than a musician, but as soon as his talent was recognized there was no way to stop him. He composed over 500 waltzes, quadrilles and polkas and came up with quite famous operettas, like The Fledermaus.
But maybe his most famous work was The Blue Danube, the secret hymn or anthem of Austria.

The Blue Danube is still one of the most recognized songs in the world  - maybe together with Imagine or Yesterday.

This is also the song, which is played very first on broadcast and TV when the New Year starts!

bluedanubeapartments took over the name because we identify with one of the biggest stars the country has every produced - his music is loved for almost 200 years! What a star!

And this star lived a celeb's life: married three times, even had to give up the austrian nationality to marry the third time and all marriages have been without children! And in the end, after his death, his only surviving brother distroyed much of his work - they agreed to this pact beforehand - whoever outlived the other, will destroy the work, so that no one ever can claim that work for them. Obviously the copyright issue wasn't solved yet!

Anyway, pneumonia made him kick the bucket with 73. But his music is fully alive!


Enjoy his music and listen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmsIGxYHelQ&feature=related