Just in: Vienna shrinks its New Year’s audience

The Vienna Philharmonic has been ordered to cut its audience on January 1st to 1,000. Tocket-holders who are excluded will be given priority in 2023.

Here’s the announcement:

Auf Grund der kurzfristig notwendig gewordenen Präventionsmaßnahmen sehen sich die Wiener Philharmoniker leider gezwungen, die Anzahl der BesucherInnen der Konzerte zum Jahreswechsel auf maximal 1000 (pro Konzert) zu reduzieren. Durch diese Reduktion, bei der die “2G+”-Regel zur Anwendung kommt, können alle geimpften oder genesenen Gäste unter zusätzlichem Vorweis eines gültigen PCR-Tests (Gültigkeit 48 Stunden ab Probenentnahme) und FFP2 Maske das Konzert besuchen. …

Due to necessary preventive measures which have been adopted on short notice, the Vienna Philharmonic finds itself obligated to reduce the number of persons in attendance at the New Year’s Concerts 2021/22 to a maximum of 1000 per concert. This reduction and implementation of the 2G+ rule will enable guests who are vaccinated or recovered, and, in addition, produce a PCR test (valid up to 48 hours from sample extraction) and wear a FFP2 mask, to attend the concert.

According to Daniel Froschauer, Chairman of the Vienna Philharmonic, “Even though these measures create an exceptional logistical challenge and necessitate a high degree of understanding and willingness to adapt, we are glad that this year the New Year’s Concerts can once again take place with an audience in attendance. For all those concert visitors who due to this reduction cannot be present in the concert hall, seats for next year’s concerts will be reserved.”…