Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert returns to Symphony Center

Celebrate and welcome 2017 with the "Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert" at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at Symphony Center in Chicago.

A stunning new program featuring Strauss waltzes and sweeping melodies from "Die Fledermaus" and "Merry Widow" will be performed by the Strauss Symphony of Canada featuring the Chicago Philharmonic. Enjoy a star-studded cast of acclaimed European singers, and ballet as well as beautifully costumed ballroom dancers that will waltz you through romantic vignettes. Fall in love with the "Blue Danube Waltz" all over again and clap until the last note of the "Radetzky March." Let the "Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert" whisk you away to a place of nostalgia and pleasure.

The cast for Chicago includes the Strauss Symphony of America featuring Chicago Philharmonic; Niels Muus, conductor (Vienna); Lilla Galambos, soprano (Vienna); Thomas Weinhappel, baritone (Vienna); dancers from Kiev-Aniko Ballet of Ukraine and the International Champion Ballroom Dancers.

"Salute to Vienna" celebrates more than 20 years of New Year's concerts, rounding off the holiday season with entertaining, lighthearted performances in 24 North American cities this year. More than 40,000 concertgoers will party like it's 1899 between December 29 and January 3, when Salute to Vienna will kick off 2017 in the 80-year old tradition of Vienna's world famous "Neujahrskonzert". Discover the timeless pleasure of Vienna's most beautiful music for the first time this year, or continue the tradition with 2017's fresh new cast and concert.

Tickets start at $27 and are available online at www.cso.org or by calling (312) 294.3000. Symphony Center is located at 222 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago.