Grand New Year’s Eve Concert

The Grand New Year’s Eve Concert on 31 December at the Great Festival Hall is the most buoyant highlight that marks the turn of the year in Salzburg. This year we were able to recruit renowned Italian conductor Massimo Zanetti as musical director for the festive concert. On this evening, world-famous pieces of music such as the overture to Gioacchino Rossini’s “Guglielmo Tell”, ballet music from Giuseppe Verdi’s operas and the sweeping melodies of the Strauss dynasty will blend into an Italian-Austrian celebration.

On New Year’s Eve the Catholic church also celebrates Saint Sylvester’s Day, the feast of Pope Sylvester I who died on 31 December, 335 in Rome – which brings us back to Italy. The Italians have some interesting customs for the turn of the year: for instance, eating lentils at midnight is believed to bring a financial windfall and people who wear new red underwear are supposedly blessed with good fortune, health and love in the new year. Of course, splendid fireworks, dancing and singing are also part of the celebrations!

Massimo Zanetti is considered a master of the Italian repertoire and is a regular guest star at international concert and opera halls, including the Ópera de Bilbao, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, the Berlin State Opera, the Scala di Milano and the San Diego Opera. He has worked with artists such as Placido Domingo, Anna Netrebko and Thomas Hampson.