My Strauss World

1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3. Waltz. Johann. Polka. Josef. March. Eduard. Operettas. Vienna. New Year’s Concert.

The link? Yes. The Strauss family. I am very interested, some say obsessed by, the Strauss family.

When we were little, my sister and I had a season ticket for the operettas at our local opera house. Those were the days when such tickets still existed and one, especially being so young, was excited by the nice costumes and settings. Every time we would dress up and enjoy the performance from our box.

We always had classical music on the radio when I was growing up and I have always liked it since. Especially the what is called “light classical” music.

Then came the 1991 TV series “The Strauss Dynasty”. By that time, I was at college studying tourism and I wanted to know more about the characters of the series and the places that were mentioned. So I started reading about the Strauss family and Vienna. I became a member of various Strauss societies and compiled “In the footsteps of the Strauss family”. That included biographies of the family members and listings of the houses where they lived, the schools they went to, the venues they played at…

In 1998 I was asked to look into the visits to Belgium by various Strausses. I did and had the opportunity to share my findings with like-minded people at international Strauss symposia in Vienna and Bucharest (i.e. giving lectures). Beside that I also published articles about it in magazines of Strauss societies and spoke on national radio in Belgium.

But enough boasting!

In this section, I will tell you things about the Strauss family and link you through to “Stress music” as my best friend once called it (because their music cheers her up when she’s down and stressed).

So get on your dancing shoes. Let’s dance and be emerged in the world of Strauss! 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3.

xxx

Ann