By Alkis Karmpaliotis
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AppreciateOpera.org
The Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert, performed on New Year's Day (with two preview concerts on December 30th and 31st), is perhaps the most famous concert in the world. Internationally televised, the concert is viewed by millions of people every year.
To conduct the concert is considered a great honor, as the Vienna Philharmonic only invites conductors with whom it has enjoyed long partnerships. The long list of past conductors includes Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado, and Carlos Kleiber, among other all-time greats. The next guest conductor is announced right after the New Year's Day concert, and since 1987, the orchestra has elected a different maestro each year. This removes seven-time guest Riccardo Muti from the running, as he is set to conduct the 2025 concerts.
So, who might conduct the 2023-24 concerts?
Honorable Mentions: Franz Welser-Möst, Christian Thielemann. Both conductors are favorites of the Vienna Philharmonic and have each conducted the concert more than once. Because of the recency of their last features (2023 and 2024, respectively), I doubt that they'll get the nod again next year, but it's certainly possible. Gustavo Dudamel, who conducted the concert in 2017, and Philippe Jordan are also underrated possibilities.
Andris Nelsons
For the third straight year, the favorite to lead the next New Year's Concert is Andris Nelsons. He made his New Year's Concert debut in 2020 and has since conducted two renditions of the Summer Night Concert Schönnbrunn. He remains a favorite of the orchestra, making him a leading candidate to return next year.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
The Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera and Philadelphia Orchestra has developed a close bond with the Vienna Philharmonic over the last few years and is scheduled to lead its West Coast tour of Berkeley and Costa Mesa in March. He also conducted the 2023 Summer Night Concert, putting on a lovely performance alongside mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča. Given these developments, I would not be at all surprised if he gets the invite next year.
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta has been a friend of the Vienna Philharmonic for decades, having conducted the New Year's Concert on five occasions. At 89 years old, he would be the oldest conductor ever to lead the concert. He is conducting a series of concerts with the orchestra throughout January, and will likely join them again in the second half of the year. For these reasons, I could see them inviting him back.
Who would you like to see in 2026?
Andris Nelsons
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Zubin Mehta
Other
I'm Alkis Karmpaliotis, and I'm a senior at the Fieldston School in New York. I founded AppreciateOpera.org in 2019, and you can support my work by becoming a member and reading some of my other articles!
Well, I would like to see a women conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker. I know this is a domain women are able to enter and to show their abilities. What about Marin Alsop? Would she be an option? We are living in 21st century. There must be a lady out there who is brave and fearless to "defying gravity"
I would like to see Gustavo Dudamel conduct the 2026 New Year Concert in Vienna after his huge success on his debut in 2017. If not possible how about Ivan Fischer or a welcome return to Andris Nelsons