United in beauty and love for art: the renowned American choreographer and former dancer John Neumeierone of the most important protagonists of dance of our time, and the Swiss fashion designer Albert Kriemlercreative director and heir to the fashion brand AKRISmet again 20 years after the Vienna New Year’s Concert in 2006 to create a new artistic unionwhich will make us dream.
This year’s New Year’s Eve Ballet 2026 in Vienna therefore marks an important anniversary, celebrating two decades of creative dialogue at the crossroads of fashion.
During the television broadcast of the concert (from 11.15 am in Vienna), spectators will be able to watch two splendid dance interludes from the Vienna State Ballet: the waltz “Southern Roses” and the “Diplomatic Polka”, both by Johann Strauss II. The waltz was filmed at the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts in Viennawhile the polka was filmed in several locations in the Hofburg in Vienna, including the Ambassadors’ Staircase. Twelve members of the Wiener Staatsballett, under the direction of Michael Beyer, directed the television production.
The costumes of the Ballet of the New Year’s Concert 2026 from Vienna
There are 12 dancers from the Vienna State Ballet, in dresses and suits designed by Albert Kriemler, who will perform to the tune of the waltz Roses from the South and of Polka of the Diplomats dressed for the occasion by Kriemler.
For the waltz sequenceAlbert Kriemler transposed lightness into costumes, the elegance and lyrical flourishing of Roses from the South. The rose motif celebrates the lush abundance of the South, While airy silk georgette and elegant silhouettes create a refined contrast.
Choreographer John Neumeier and Swiss designer Albert Kriemler met again 20 years after the 2006 Vienna New Year’s Concert. Photo Copyright: ORF/Thomas Jantzen
Pleated panels and side slits give dancers fluid movement, as light as the fabric itself. In particular, Prima Soloist Ketevan Papava’s dress in Baccara Rose embodies this vision, in dialogue with the dancers’ velvet jackets in intense shades of emerald, petrol and bottle green.
The themes of diplomacy and bureaucracy, in lively and rhythmically accentuated Diplomats’ Polkafind expression in the clothes created by the designer in his characteristic double-face wool, combined with stretch jersey tank tops. A palette of pink, crimson, dove grey, sand, powder pink and ecru alternates lively accents and sober neutral tones: shades that echo both the fast pace of the music and the precision of the bureaucracy.
A total of 12 dancers from the Vienna State Ballet, dressed in dresses and suits designed by Albert Kriemler, will perform to the tune of the Roses from the South Waltz and the Diplomats Polka. Photo Copyright: ORF/Thomas Jantzen
True to his philosophy, Kriemler didn’t just create simple costumes, but created clothes that support the movement and individuality of the dancers on stage: modern and timeless pieces, in perfect harmony with the John Neumeier’s vision to highlight the distinctive character of each dancer.
Ballet of the Vienna New Year’s Concert, the protagonists on stage
Neumeierdirector of the Hamburg Ballet for over fifty years, had already made his debut with the ORF ballet in 1999, on the occasion of the Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert and Michael Beyer, classical music specialist and veteran of the New Year’s Concert, arrived at thirteenth production directorate, on January 1, 2026, he will also celebrate his 10th anniversary as director of ORF concert broadcasts.
The protagonist dancers: for the waltz scene, there are four enchanting couples: first and foremost the prima ballerina Ketevan Papava and the new principal dancer Timoor Afshar, Natalya Butchko and Géraud Wielick, Gaia Fredianelli and Calogero Failla, Alaia Rogers-Maman and Victor Cagnin as protagonists of a choreographic narration on the famous “Vienna Rose” from the MAK collection.
The “Diplomat Polka” was instead danced together with Alessandro Frola, who joined the Vienna State Ballet as Principal Dancer for the 2025/26 seasonby five graceful artists: in addition to Natalya Butchko and Gaia Fredianelli, also Anita Manolova, Tatiana Mazniak and Laura Cislaghi they took part in ahumorous choreographic exploration on the themes of diplomacy, of bureaucracy and civil service. Filmed this summer, the ballet “New Year’s Concert 2026”, a co-production of ORF and the Vienna Philharmonic, was completed in November this year.