Coldplay at Palais Coburg? A bit of AC/DC in the Kunsthistorisches Museum? I tried out one of Fever’s Candlelight classical concerts…
- “Best of Bridgerton” in the Albertina
- Hosted in a former ballroom
- The candlelight created a lovely ambience
- Performance by the Classic Sound Vienna quartet
- Staff notably friendly & helpful
- See also:
Bridgerton & ballrooms
(The concert took place in the rather impressive Albertina)
The Fever Candlelight concerts put modern musical genres like pop and hard rock into a classical format and candlelit historical venue. Film music, seasonal selections, and original classical music enjoy occasional appearances too.
I received press tickets to one such performance: the Best of Bridgerton on Strings in the Albertina (art museum). So my partner and I swapped Monet for Madonna for a concert in the former small ballroom of the palais.
So what happens when popular culture meets 19th-century décor?
I thoroughly enjoyed Netflix’s Bridgerton show produced by Shondaland, despite my more purist Regency affiliations. One of the highlights of each series is the incorporation of popular music as adapted classical compositions.
The Classic Sound Vienna string quartet presented just over an hour’s worth of such pieces from all three series, with short introductions to the Bridgerton context at intervals (in German only).
The musicians played in a veritable sea of artificial (but very convincing) candles of the kind used by such immersive experiences as Mythos Mozart. Real candles would, of course, be a health & safety nightmare.
(The venue, which you can also visit by day. A ticket for the Albertina art museum includes access to the palais staterooms; press photo © Albertina, Wien)
More candles also filled window ledges and other parts of the room. As the only light source, they created a rather lovely ambience in the intimate Musensaal with its gilt candelabras and historical pale yellow and pink marbled walls lined with statues of Apollo and the muses.
Euterpe would be the muse responsible for music, I think. And she remained remarkably impassive throughout the performance, no doubt quietly admiring the creativity of a culture that has moved from Ariadne to Ariana Grande (whose thank u, next featured in the concert).
Other pieces drawn from the series included songs by Billy Eilish, Madonna, Taylor Swift, Coldplay and more…as well as the Bridgerton theme tune itself.
Fans of the Bridgerton music could thus return to the ballrooms, great houses, and romances of Regency England while immersed in surroundings evoking all three. A double dose of pleasure!
Visitor tips
As mentioned, the candles were spread in groups around the room. However, since the ambience depends on low lighting, I’d advise purchasing tickets that let you sit nearer the stage for an easier-on-the-eye view of the musicians.
(I enjoyed, for example, observing the precision and physicality of the cellist’s performance.)
Alternatively, queue early to get to the front of your allocated block.
As we had tickets for the Albertina, which happened to be open late on that day, we could skip the queue in the museum atrium and go direct to the Musensaal ticket control. Something to consider: a side order of Picasso with your P!nk?
(Incidentally, the ticket staff and ushers were helpful and friendly.)
What to wear?
As most of the Fever concerts do not involve formal classical pieces, you have less pressure to dress up.
I saw t-shirts, but also evening wear that would fit a Regency soiree. So your choice. (And it’s dark enough to enjoy obscurity.) I wore my usual smart casual, which is suited to almost every venue and occasion featuring people wielding bows and stringed instruments.
(See this article for more advice on dress codes for Vienna’s classical concerts.)
How to get there
The concerts take place in different locations but check the main Albertina article for travel tips for the Musensaal venue.