FROM VIENNA TO THE NEW WORLD

FROM VIENNA TO THE NEW WORLD

Songs of Love, Life and Longing

The Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra invites audiences to one of its most ambitious and captivating concerts of the 2026 season.

A rare opportunity to experience the full sonority of a Romantic symphony orchestra in a programme that spans the elegance of Vienna and the sweeping horizons of the New World.

From Vienna to the New World is a grand symphonic celebration that journeys from the elegance of Vienna's Golden Age to the sweeping landscapes and unforgettable melodies of the New World. Featuring internationally acclaimed Korean bass-baritone Euihyun Park, this special concert promises an afternoon of great orchestral masterpieces, beloved songs and musical storytelling at its finest.

Under the baton of Schalk van der Merwe, the orchestra presents a richly varied programme filled with romance, nostalgia, passion and triumph. Highlights include Mahler's sublime Rückert-Lieder, Tchaikovsky's dazzling Capriccio Italien, Dvorák's beloved Going Home, Johann Strauss II's magnificent Künstlerleben Waltz, Brahms' energetic Hungarian Dance No. 1, Schubert's moving An die Musik and Sibelius' inspirational Finlandia.

The concert opens with the sparkling Overture to Gräfin Mariza by Emmerich Kálmán and concludes with one of the most stirring orchestral finales ever written.

Renowned for his warm, resonant voice, exceptional musicianship and commanding stage presence, Euihyun Park joins the orchestra in Mahler's deeply personal Rückert-Lieder, Dvorák's cherished Going Home and Schubert's heartfelt tribute to the transformative power of music, An die Musik. His appearance marks a significant highlight of the concert and offers audiences the opportunity to hear one of Korea's distinguished young vocal artists in a programme perfectly suited to the richness and depth of the bass-baritone voice.

This promises to be a landmark musical event in Pretoria's cultural calendar and a memorable afternoon for lovers of orchestral music.

PROGRAMME

Emmerich Kálmán

Overture to Gräfin Mariza

Gustav Mahler

Four Rückert-Lieder

• Ich atmet' einen linden Duft
• Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder
• Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
• Liebst du um Schönheit
• 
  

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Capriccio Italien

INTERVAL

Franz von Suppé

Poet and Peasant Overture

Antonín Dvorák

Going Home from Symphony No. 9 "From the New World"

Euihyun Park, baritone

Johannes Brahms

Hungarian Dance No. 1

Johann Strauss II

Künstlerleben (Artist's Life) Waltz

Franz Schubert

An die Musik

(Orchestration by Max Reger)

Euihyun Park, baritone

Jean Sibelius

Finlandia