PRESS RELEASE: THIS IS HOW THE DANUBE SOUNDS

World premiere at the Vienna Musikverein

The world premiere of Frank Wildhorn's DONAU SYMPHONIE took place on Thursday, November 3, in the presence of many domestic and international celebrities at the Vienna Musikverein to standing ovations and minutes of applause, enchanting the audience as well as all participants in the famous Großer Musikvereinssaal.
 
With this world premiere, an absolute lifelong dream came true for Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy Award-nominated composer Frank Wildhorn and his producer Walter Feucht. To be able to witness the world premiere of his own work, performed by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in the Großer Musikvereinssaal, belongs in the league of superlatives for any musician.
 
The concert was accordingly full of sound, emotion and applause, and was attended by many celebrities, such as the Mayor of Vienna Dr. Michael Ludwig, Chris Lohner, Otto Jaus, Kevin Moore, musical stars and Wildhorn fans Sabrina Weckerlin, Mili Jovanovic, Dorina Garuci as well as Olympic champion Alexandra Timoshenko, Markus Spiegel and many more. Due to illness unfortunately at short notice some friends and Musicalstars had to cancel, that did the success of the evening however no damage.
 
Composer Frank Wildhorn: "There were so many things going through my mind, for example that my family could not be here today, but so many close friends were there. I was also thinking hard about Leslie Bricusse, who passed away last year and was like a father to me in the business and with whom I wrote Jekyll & Hyde. And, of course, the "Oh my God"-great composers, my heroes and musicians, whose works have been played here before, came to mind. I am truly quite humbled, as an American composer, to be able to experience the great response of the audience with the world-famous Vienna Symphony Orchestra in this historic hall of the Vienna Musikverein. Sometimes real life is better than any fantasy. And tonight was like that."
 
Mayor Dr. Michael Ludwig: "The Danube is the river in Europe that connects most countries and thus also stands for togetherness in a common Europe. And this could be heard so beautifully in the different parts of Wildhorn's symphony. A successful composition, performed by the wonderful orchestra of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under the leadership of a great conductor. One could tell by the enthusiastic reaction in the hall that it was a first performance and that it was well received by the audience. Therefore, I am convinced that the Danube Symphony will have a successful way to the world and make our Danube even more popular."
 
Actor, singer and cabaret artist Otto Jaus: "I have to let the nine movements set first and listen again alone in peace. It touched me and I think that's how everyone felt today. No one is going to walk out of here afterwards and say "Na joo". What happened today fascinated me immensely. I love Frank Wildhorn's compositions in general, for example Jekyll and Hyde, which is so to the point, and he has succeeded again with the symphony. Every ending of every movement always ends differently, like you haven't heard before. Big bravo for that! When I have a free evening, I don't like to go to the theater or to a concert. So when I sit in, it's only because I have high expectations. And today I'm glad I was here and didn't stay at home. I was also able to partially turn off the musician in me and sit back and just enjoy."
 
A tear or two was shed by a visibly moved Frank Wildhorn even during the first few minutes as he listened to the sounds of his symphony at the side of his wife Yōka Wao in the Großer Musikvereinssaal, world-famous for its acoustics.
 
An alternating current between Sisi romance and heroic epic described a softly blossoming spring or a waltzing summer as well as military marches and a Danube story winding through time, which awakened different memories and emotions among the guests.
 
Musical star Sabrina Weckerlin: "I am so fascinated by how much love, musicality and how many colors can be felt and heard in this composition. I come from the Black Forest, from where the Danube rises and Frank is a very close friend of mine. To be able to witness the premiere of this gigantic work here in Vienna today was therefore particularly emotional on all levels. I would love to hear the symphony again immediately. Frank can write such wonderful melodies and tell stories with them like no one else."
 
Producer Walter Feucht: "Normally I'm not speechless, but today I am: In the most famous concert hall in the world minutes of applause and standing ovations, I have to realize that first. I am so flashed, happy and overwhelmed. A dream come true!"
 
Conductor Koen Schoots: "A great honor for me to conduct a great orchestra here in this famous hall. We have all experienced a great success together today. The never-ending applause at the end was an incredibly touching surprise for us. And I really hope that this symphony will have a future long life. It is music that is accessible and romantic and has beautiful melodies. It pleases the audience and fits well in the house."
 
The Danube Symphony, nearly 60 minutes long, as a powerful and romantic declaration of love for the river and its history, tells of the river that - in a total length of 2,857 kilometers - flows through and connects Europe from west to east. It is an American interpretation of European eternity, which takes up a musical tradition - washed by the Danube - and brings it into the here and now. But it was composed far away from Europe in Hawaii. 
 
At the conductor's podium Koen Schoots as congenial mediator of Wildhorn's vision between composition and orchestra - known in Europe as conductor of various successful productions, among others at the Komische Oper Berlin and as music director for musicals at the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien. 
 
The premiere was without a doubt a success, which would not have been possible without Walter Feucht as producer as well as the MG-SOUND Master Minds.
 
So it was Martin Böhm and his partner Ludwig Coss who established the contact to the Vienna Symphony Orchestra as well as to the Musikverein and who were also responsible for the sound recordings of the CD production one year ago - at that time without an audience due to the pandemic. After the CD, which was recorded in 2021 in Vienna at MG-SOUND Studios with an exceptional cast of 96 musicians in the Great Hall of the Vienna Konzerthaus and produced by HitSquad Records, the nearly 60-minute symphony now found its preliminary climax with the premiere in the historic Musikverein Vienna. 
 
About Frank Wildhorn:
He composed Whitney Houston's No. 1 hit "Where do broken hearts go" and was the first composer after Stephen Schwartz to have three musicals running simultaneously on Broadway: "Jekyll & Hyde," "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and "Civil War." With this homage to the voice of the Danube, Frank Wildhorn has fulfilled a long-awaited dream and created a symphony that will make history. 
 
On November 3, the time had come and the "Danube Symphony" was premiered at the Vienna Musikverein.