To mark 200 years since the birth of Johann Strauss II, a special concert will be held in his honor by the Johann Strauss Capelle Wien at the Small Roman Theatre in Pula, as the grand finale of the Pula Cultural Summer. The concert takes place on Thursday, September 4th.

This celebrated Viennese orchestra, rich in history, was originally founded by Johann Strauss I in 1827, and is still considered the most authentic and original Strauss orchestra in the world.

It remains the only specialized orchestra that performs Strauss’s music in its original form. The ensemble brings together talented musicians from the Vienna Volksoper and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, delivering the Viennese musical tradition with exceptional energy, precision, and spirit—especially works by the Strauss dynasty.

Performing in their iconic red historical uniforms, these musical ambassadors of Austria enchant audiences with lively performances that preserve the tradition of the Viennese waltz. Their unique stage appearance remains true to the image envisioned by the “Waltz King” himself.

Today, their rich and diverse concert program is tailored for contemporary audiences, featuring masterpieces by Johann Strauss I, Johann Strauss II, Josef Strauss, Eduard Strauss, as well as works by Franz Lehár, Carl Michael Ziehrer, Emmerich Kálmán, and other composers of the Strauss era.

Johann Strauss II was born in Vienna in 1825, and died in the same city in 1899. He composed over 500 works, including waltzes, polkas, mazurkas, and operettas. His waltzes elevated the genre to a true art form.

Some of his most famous works include:

• “The Blue Danube” (An der schönen blauen Donau)

• “The Emperor Waltz” (Kaiser-Walzer)

• Operetta “Die Fledermaus”

• Operetta “The Gypsy Baron” (Der Zigeunerbaron)

To this day, Strauss remains one of the foremost representatives of the classical Viennese operetta. He studied composition and debuted with his orchestra in a Viennese suburb in 1844. From 1847, he toured throughout Europe, and beginning in 1872, across the United States as well.