Concert

A Concert at Kursalon offers you a charming performance of Viennese music. The "Alt Wien" Salon Orchestra plays beautifully, re-creating the melodies of Vienna’s golden age for your pleasure and entertainment. From "A little night music" to "The Blue Danube" Waltz, every peace is superbly performed. Opera singers and ballet soloists contribute to the highlights of the concert.

Salon Orchestra "Alt Wien"

The Salon Orchestra "Alt Wien" was founded in 1999 by Professor Udo Zwölfer, the long-term principal leader of the Vienna Volksoper Orchestra. Just as in the times of Johann Strauss, the orchestra plays without a conductor. It is the principal violinist who leads the orchestra, thus achieving a historically accurate performance of Viennese music.

Kursalon: Imperial Spa Pavilion

In the 19th century, spas became very fashionable in Europe. Spas provided not only water cure, but also different other diversions for guests, and soon became meeting centre for the elite. A distinct spa culture, in which medical reason usually played only a minor role, emerged.

In 1862, Emperor Franz Joseph I ordered the construction of a Kursalon or spa pavilion. The Kursalon, built between 1865 and 1867, was designed by Johann Garben in the style of the Italian Renaissance.

Officially, it served as a spa, where visitors could drink mineral waters. At the beginning social events were prohibited. In fact, it was a place where the aristocracy would meet and mingle and soon, the ban of fun started to be ignored. The Kursalon served as a venue for concerts and dances ever since 1868. Instantly, the Kursalon became Vienna′s most fashionable and trendy place to go out. Johann Strauss, whose golden monument stands it front of the building, used to perform here with his orchestra.

Today the Kursalon is a popular venue for balls, concerts and parties. There are four halls on two floors in the Kursalon, a 1,000 square meter large terrace, overlooking the City Park, and a Café-Restaurant.

Dinner

July, August 2010

Starter

Beef carpaccio, with calamata olives, lemon and grana-shavings

or

Swordfish carpaccio, with cilantro-cocos and radish sprouts salad

Soup

Cream of tomato with pesto and bagy-mozzarella

or

Beef consommé with semolina dumpling

Main Course

Grilled fillet of salmon, on tomato-bean vegetables with rosemary potatoes

or

Pink roast rump of veal, on creamy chanterelles with crispy polenta

Desserts

Nougat panna cotta with apricots and pine nuts

or

Strawberry tartlet with pepper and brittle