The Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. Photos courtesy of Shenzhen Concert Hall

Under the baton of acclaimed conductor Jérémie Rhorer, the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra (Vienna RSO) will celebrate New Year with local fans at the Shenzhen Concert Hall on the evening of Jan. 1, 2026.

Founded in 1969, the Vienna RSO is celebrated as one of Vienna’s “big three” orchestras, alongside the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. 

Known for its versatile and dynamic approach, the orchestra balances tradition with innovation through a diverse repertoire — deeply rooted in the Viennese Classical tradition while also championing contemporary premieres.

A regular performer at Vienna’s prestigious Golden Hall and Vienna Concert Hall, the ensemble also serves as the opera orchestra at the Vienna Theater and participates in leading festivals such as the Salzburg Festival and Vienna Modern. Equally notable is the orchestra’s crossover artistry.

Conductor Jérémie Rhorer.

The Vienna RSO has recorded soundtracks for acclaimed films including “Measuring the World” (2012), “Tomcat” (2016) by Teddy Award–winner H?ndl Klaus, and the remake of “Moonbound” (2020) by Ali N. Askin. 

Through 2022, the orchestra collaborated annually with Oscar-winning film composers at the “Hollywood in Vienna” Gala, with the 2019 live recording released by Sony Classical as “The World of Hans Zimmer.”

Conductor Rhorer is one of classical music’s most sought-after and versatile figures. He has led major ensembles such as the Vienna State Opera, Orchestre de Paris, and Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and has appeared at festivals including Salzburg and Glyndebourne. 

A recipient of the BBC Music Magazine Award and the 2017 Bremen Music Festival Prize, Rhorer is known for revitalizing classics through inventive interpretation — such as conducting “The Barber of Seville” and “La Traviata” with period instruments. 

He also passionately advocates for contemporary repertoire, having staged works by Poulenc and Spontini at Paris’s Théatre des Champs-élysées.

For the Shenzhen concert, Rhorer and the orchestra will present a vibrant program blending German-Austrian and French Romantic masterworks with beloved Viennese classics. The performance will include Beethoven’s stirring “Egmont Overture” and Schubert’s poignant “Symphony No. 8 in B minor” (“Unfinished”), alongside French gems such as Bizet’s lively “Farandole,” 

Gounod’s elegant waltz from “Faust,” and Offenbach’s exuberant “Can-Can” from “Orpheus in the Underworld.” The evening will also sparkle with Viennese favorites by Johann Strauss II — the overture to “Die Fledermaus,” “Tritsch-Tratsch Polka,” “Orpheus Quadrille,” and the timeless “Blue Danube.”

Come to the Shenzhen Concert Hall to welcome 2026 on the wings of classical music, and celebrate the New Year amidst melody, rhythm, and hope.

This concert is co-organized by Shenzhen Concert Hall and Bank of Communications.

Tickets: 280-1,680 yuan

Time: 7:30 p.m., Jan. 1

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音樂廳)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宮站), Exit D