Strauss Capelle Vienna

Since 1977, the Strauss Capelle Vienna has performed over 3,000 concerts worldwide, never failing to create memorable experiences for its treasured international audiences. Performing in their trademark red historical uniforms, remnants from the ensemble’s birth in the court of Emperor Franz Joseph I, the orchestra’s mission is to uphold the rich musical tradition of the Viennese Waltz, created by Vienna’s own Strauss Dynasty.

Though the ensemble does its best to create a modern perspective on the music it performs for today’s audiences, the Strauss Capelle remains firmly rooted in Austrian tradition and history, in order to preserve the Strauss Dynasty’s timeless musical legend.

The Strauss Capelle Vienna, founded by Johann Strauss I in 1827, is steeped in historical tradition and is proud to be considered one of the most highly respected orchestras worldwide.

The Strauss Dynasty, including father Johann I and sons Johann II, Eduard and Josef, toured the world with their Strauss Capelle Vienna, heralding a new Golden Age of the Viennese Waltz and enchanting international audiences with breathtaking performances of the contemporary masterpieces of their day.

After a concert tour through Canada and the USA in 1901, Eduard Strauss I, son of Johann Strauss I, disbanded the orchestra in New York. 76 long years passed before members of the Vienna State Opera and Volksoper orchestra decided to revive the Strauss dynasty’s original orchestra. With an unwavering devotion to their musical heritage, these musicians brought Strauss’ music back to life in its original setting.

The rebirth of Strauss’ orchestra meant the Strauss family’s most enchanting melodies could once again fill the world’s concert houses. The orchestra today continues its founder’s tradition of performing Strauss’ music on tour to the highest standard, delighting audiences around the globe.

Alma Deutscher, Conductor and Soloist

“She may be one of the most gifted musical talents of her generation, lauded by Zubin Mehta and Simon Rattle, but she is also a teenager testing the bounds of her freedom and pushing back against expectations. In Ms Deutscher’s case, this means defying her critics over her insistence that “music should be beautiful.” New York Times, June 2019

Alma Deutscher, born 2005, is a composer, violinist, pianist and conductor. She started playing the piano when she was two years old and the violin when she was three. At six, she composed her first piano sonata, and at nine a concerto for violin and orchestra. Conductor Zubin Mehta called her “one of the greatest musical talents today”. Sir Simon Rattle told the BBC: “Alma is a force of nature. I don’t know that I’ve come across anyone of that age with quite such an astonishing range of gifts. I haven’t really seen anything like it.” Composer Jörg Widmann said he had never met a talent like hers before. And violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter declared it was "absolutely extraordinary what this young girl has managed to achieve."

Alma Deutscher received the European Culture Prize in a ceremony at the Vienna State Opera (2019), and has been elected by the German Magazine Stern in 2019 as one of twelve ‘Heroes of Tomorrow’. In December 2019, Alma Deutscher made her debut in the sold out Carnegie Hall in New York, to repeated standing ovations. Her opera, Cinderella, has been performed on three continents to sold-out houses, and was described as “a once-in-a-lifetime opera-going event that had audiences standing and cheering”. Two of the productions have been released on DVD: by Sony Classical and by the Vienna State Opera. In 2019, she gave her sold-out Carnegie Hall debut, in an concert dedicated to her own compositions. Her first piano solo album, From My Book of Melodies, was released by Sony Classical and is published by G. Schirmer.

As a soloist playing her own compositions, she has appeared in prestigious festivals such as the Lucerne Festival, Aix-en-Provence Festival, and Beijing Music Festival. She has appeared as soloist playing her own compositions with orchestras such as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Mozarteum Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra.

Alma has featured prominently in the international press, from major features and interviews in the most prominent newspapers around the world, from the New York Times, through most major newspapers in Europe, to the China Daily. She has also appeared in numerous television programs across the world. In 2017 she was the subject of an hour long BBC Documentary and a CBS 60 Minutes documentary.

Alma Deutscher plays on a violin made in 1683 by Antonio Stradivari (the Bucher Stradivarius), and on a violin made by Peter Greiner in 2015. The Bucher Stradivarius is kindly loaned to her by a generous patron. The loan is administered by the Tarisio Trust.

*Updated January 2024