As many as 100,000 listeners attended the Vienna Philharmonic Sommernachtskonzert Schönbrunn, which took place on June 4, 2009 in the unique ambience of the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace. The free open air concert was conducted by Daniel Barenboim, who also conducted the New Year's Concert 2009. The program of the concert, which had as its theme the "Night", featured the following compositions:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Serenade G Major, KV 525, "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" Manuel de Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain Modest Mussorgsky: A Night on Bald Mountain Johann Strauss II: A Thousand and One Nights, Waltz, op. 346
The concert was broadcast live or time delayed in over 60 countries.
With this free concert in a public place in Vienna the orchestra pursues a specific cultural policy objective by attempting to make classical music accessible to a broad spectrum of listeners and establish a following beyond its usual core audience. Clemens Hellsberg, Chairman of the Vienna Philharmonic says: "The beautiful location, the special flair of an open air concert and the free admission appeal to a large audience. With this concert we are hoping to attract to classical music those people who otherwise do not have much opportunity to come in contact with it." The size of the audiences indicate that the public responds to this idea. Despite inclement weather, some 60,000 people attended last year's concert.
