Vienna, well-known for its music, boasts its numerous talents including Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and the Strausses. Thus, a complete Viennese experience must include music. My friends, Laura and Tracy, and I succumbed to the persuasion of a Mozart look-alike peddler and bought tickets to a concert, which promised everything -- music, opera, ballet, and champagne!
On a Wednesday night the three of us went to the Haus am Beethovenplatz for the concert. It was rather enjoyable. The program definitely catered to the tourists; each performance never exceeded five minutes, which is just the right amount of time before attention starts to wane. For a music lover, the program would not suffice. However, we had a good time and at least I can inform my parents that my Vienna journey was not in vain, there was "culture" :P. My favorite is Johann Strauss' 'The Blue Danube'. It is considered Vienna's unofficial anthem; as the waltz began and the delightful notes started to permeate the concert hall, I felt my spirit lifted by the cheerful tune. I believe that 'The Blue Danube' epitomizes Vienna. Whenever I hear the waltz, I see the Danube, in its regal blueness, glittering under the sun like a satin ribbon. Each of the two quicker beats (out of the 3-beat waltz pattern) marks the heartbeat of the river,,, to me, the Danube and Vienna share one heartbeat.
In addition to attending the concert, we visited Haus der Musik (House of Music). It was a charming museum that was both educational and interactive. The first floor exhibited the historical archives of the Vienna Philharmonic. The second floor dealt with sound itself; it addressed the mechanics of sound. I liked the "sound wall" where I get to listen to the sampled sounds such as 'baby's crying', etc. The third floor covered Vienna's composers, which included: Josef Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss, and Gustav Mahler. My favorite was Strauss' room. It showcased the waltz era and had artifacts such as the dainty laced gloves, the delicatedly printed invitation cards, and lovely fans. On the floor, there were footprint stickers and if you follow them, you can Viennese Waltz across the floor! You could even conduct a full orchestra; I tried, and I failed (the experiment affirmed my suspicion that I am highly uncoordinated).
(image to the right: an ink painting of Mozart)
In addition to attending the concert, we visited Haus der Musik (House of Music). It was a charming museum that was both educational and interactive. The first floor exhibited the historical archives of the Vienna Philharmonic. The second floor dealt with sound itself; it addressed the mechanics of sound. I liked the "sound wall" where I get to listen to the sampled sounds such as 'baby's crying', etc. The third floor covered Vienna's composers, which included: Josef Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss, and Gustav Mahler. My favorite was Strauss' room. It showcased the waltz era and had artifacts such as the dainty laced gloves, the delicatedly printed invitation cards, and lovely fans. On the floor, there were footprint stickers and if you follow them, you can Viennese Waltz across the floor! You could even conduct a full orchestra; I tried, and I failed (the experiment affirmed my suspicion that I am highly uncoordinated). 
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