When you think of Vienna, do you think of music? Maybe of Ludwig van Beethoven?
It would hardly be surprising, because Vienna was the centre of his life for 35 years. Visitors will come across traces of his life at almost at every turn – and not only at residential and memorial sites.
The year 2020 is the 250th anniversary of his birthday and the city will celebrate this important anniversary with a variety of exhibitions, such as the homage in the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna.
A visit to the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, one of the most important museums in the world, frequently takes people’s breath away. Built by Emperor Franz Joseph, it bears witness to the Habsburgs’ imperial passion for collecting and houses objects from five millennia – beginning with the era of Ancient Egypt.
The Picture Gallery contains unique major works by Dürer, Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian, Vermeer and Velázquez, as well as the largest Bruegel collection in the world. Not to forget the Kunstkammer Wien, which houses 2,200 top-class works of art under its roof, including the world-famous “Saliera” by Benvenuto Cellini.
Experience an extraordinary homage to Ludwig van Beethoven
This year this great museum also honours Beethoven. To celebrate his 250th birthday, his sounds will be seen as well as heard here from September onwards. Visitors can expect an extraordinary homage to the great representative of Viennese Classicism from 29.09.2020 onwards.
The curators create a dialogue with Beethoven’s music and person through paintings by Caspar David Friedrich, sketchbooks by William Turner, graphics by Francisco de Goya, sculptures by Auguste Rodin or a performative sculpture by Tino Sehgal. The exhibition builds a visual bridge from Beethoven’s reception to the present.
Beethoven visits Mozart
© MHV
The Mozarthaus Vienna has been hosting the special exhibition “Triad of Viennese Classicism. Mozart – Haydn – Beethoven” since February. It traces the personalities of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven, as well as their relationships to one another. This has now been extended until the end of 2021.
Treasures from the Austrian National Library
© Haus der Musik | Inge Prader
The Beethoven Room of the permanent exhibition at the Haus Der Musik has been rearranged and supplemented with objects from the music collection of the Austrian National Library for this anniversary.
The valuable objects include, for example, letters by Beethoven to his brother Nikolaus Johann and pages from his household books.
A separate showcase is dedicated to the theme “Beethoven and Women” and illuminates his relationships with Josephine von Brunswick, Julie Guicciardi and Antonie Brentano.
