SALUTE TO VIENNA New Year's Concert Set for Sarasota's Van Wezel, Jan 1

What a fantastic way to celebrate the New Year with Salute to Vienna as it returns to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, on January 1, 2013, for another sensational performance! Inspired by Vienna's world-famous New Year's Concert, Salute to Vienna brings the same splendor, charm and beauty to North America.

Entering its 18th season, the SALUTE TO VIENNA (STV) concert series has become a favorite holiday musical tradition throughout North America. The series combines the brilliant talents of The Strauss Symphonies of Canada and America with stellar European maestros, tenors, sopranos and dancers to perform and celebrate the glorious, uplifting music of Vienna's "Waltz King", Johann Strauss Jr., and his contemporaries. STV is delightfully reminiscent of Vienna's famous and beloved NEUJAHRSKONZERT, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for over 70 years and televised annually to 1.3 billion people around the globe. Over the past decade STV has grown into the largest live concert series of its kind in North America, under the leadership of Attila and Marion Glatz, Co-Presidents of AGCP, founders and producers of this unique project.

In 1995, STV premiered in Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall. By 2004 the show was presented in 33 major concert halls over a 5 day period across the continent, including sold-out performances in Los Angeles (the Walt Disney Concert Hall), Philadelphia (the Kimmel Center), Washington (the Kennedy Center), New York (the Lincoln Center), Boston (Symphony Hall), Montreal (Place des Arts), Vancouver (Orpheum, Theatre) and Calgary (Jack Singer Concert Hall). This season's hosting cities include: Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Toronto, Quebec City and Montreal, in Canada, as well as, Chicago, Clearwater, Coral Springs, Fort Myers, Los Angeles, Miami, New Brunswick, New York, San Diego, Sarasota, Washington and West Palm Beach in the United States.

SALUTE TO VIENNA is the only genuine re-creation of the original Viennese production and is officially recognized by the Mayor of Vienna as an authentic Viennese New Year's celebration. What Nutcracker means to Christmas, Salute to Vienna means to the New Year!

Tickets are priced from $30-$69. For more information, call the Box Office at 941-953-3368, or toll free 800-826-9303, or visit www.VanWezel.org.