Thursday, June 8, 2023 | 8:30 p.m.

Alion Çaçi

Tomorrow, June 8th, the annual Summer Night Concert 2023 will take place at Schönbrunn Palace Gardens, and it’s completely free to attend. No registration or tickets are required, but the front seats are reserved for our partners and sponsors.

This year’s concert will be conducted for the first time by Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and the soloist will be Elīna Garanča, who will sing three arias from Georges Bizet’s Carmen, Charles Gounod’s Sapho, and Camille Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila.

Eight pieces will be performed, including a shadow ballet to Ravel’s Boléro by the Vienna State Opera Ballet Academy Youth Company, choreographed by Eno Peçi.

“This is my first time as a choreographer for this concert,” says the Albanian solo ballet dancer, who joined the Vienna State Opera in 2000 after graduating from its academy.

“Twelve years ago, I danced in the same concert. This year, the ballet will be performed by four pairs of dancers who will dance at a distance of four meters by three meters. What makes it special this year is that the shadows of the couples will be reflected on the wall of Schönbrunn so that the ballet will be visible in the distance all the way to the Gloriette. 

When asked about the choice of Maurice Ravel’s Bolero for the concert’s closing ballet, Peçi says that the Vienna Philharmonic chose the piece and called the choreographer to direct the ballet.

But since the weather has been unstable lately, what if it rains? 

Eno Peçi begins his answer with a laugh, saying they have already filmed the ballet as a backup.

“But anyway, it has happened before that it started to rain while the ballet was still on, and we just kept dancing.”

ORF will broadcast the concert time-delayed on ORF 2 starting at 21:20.

3sat will broadcast the concert delayed on June 8, starting at 21:45.

If you are abroad, check here for your local broadcasters.