Jaunted

Music Travel

Austria Hearts Haydn, 200 Years On

February 19, 2008 at 12:00 PM | 0 Comments

Where would humble lil' Austria be without its musical history? Probably way off the tourist radar, we think. So it's no surprise that the Austrians are already starting the hype for 2009: Haydn Year.

Haydn Year is timed to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the composer's death. Haydn started out as a choir boy in Vienna's gorgeous Stephansdom and eventually became one of Austria's most prominent classical composers. That makes him worth celebrating, Austrian style.

All manner of events are planned to excite locals and tourists alike. Apart from tons of exhibitions in Vienna and Eisenstadt, there will be (seemingly) endless performances of Haydn's music, especially in the capital. The creepiest one is the performance of "The Creation" at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. It'll take place on March 27, 2009, exactly 201 years after Haydn made the oratorio his last public performance before his death. Even Beethoven was in the audience.

If you want to be in the audience this time round, get planning now. If you're lucky they might even throw in a seance and free chat with Haydn himself.

Related Stories:
· Haydn Year 2009 [Official Site]
· The Constant Sight of the Sound of Music [Jaunted]
· Vienna to Fight Junkies With Opera [Jaunted]

[Photo: josquin2000]