March 2008

Easter markets in Vienna

Visitors to the Easter market in front of the baroque Schönbrunn Palace will be enchanted by the wonderful setting and the handcrafts offered for sale (March 8–24, www.ostermarkt.co.at). The traditional Viennese Easter Market at Freyung in Vienna's old city offers Easter specialities such as Easter lambs and colored Easter eggs (March 8–23, www.altwiener-markt.at/9293).

Festival OsterKlang

March 14–24. OsterKlang, Vienna’s top Easter music festival, gathers internationally renowned musicians in Vienna. The program ranges from Baroque to contemporary music. Traditionally, the festival is opened by the Vienna Philharmonic in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein.

(Tel. +43–1–588 85, www.osterklang.at, discount with the Vienna Card)

Tutankhamun at the Museum of Ethnology Vienna

March 9 – September 28. The exhibition “Tutankhamun and the Egyptian Pharaohs” presents the young king's spectacular treasure. The objects mostly on loan from the Egyption Museum of Cairo include statues, reliefs and numerous masterpieces from Ancient Egyptian handicraft made of gold, silver and alabaster as well as bronze and convey a particularly impressive image of the fascinating culture of the Pharaoh’s Empire on the Nile. (Museum of Ethnology Vienna, 1st district, Hofburg, Heldenplatz, Neue Burg, tel. +43–1–525 24–4025, daily except Tues 10 am – 6 pm, www.ethno-museum.ac.at, discount with the Vienna Card)

April 2008

Africa! Africa!

March 20 – May 8. Dancers, artists, musicians, singers, acrobats, jugglers, tightrope walkers and contortionists perform exciting tricks and spectacular acrobatics: In this magic circus event, more than a hundred African artists present Africa as a continent rich in cultural traditions and creativity. (2nd district, Rotundenplatz / Prater, tel. +43–1–96 0 96 111, www.AFRIKA-AFRIKA.com, tickets from 29 to 105 Euro)

Viennafair

April 24–28. Contemporary art from around 100 internationally acclaimed Central and Eastern European galleries goes on sale at Viennafair at the Messezentrum Wien. Side events include a newcomers’ exhibition and a panel discussion open to all visitors.(Viennafair, MessezentrumWienNeu, 2nd district, Messeplatz 1, tel. +43–1–727 20–249, www.viennafair.at)

Vienna City Marathon

April 27. Some 25,000 runners from 70 different nations will line up for the 25th Vienna City Marathon. Major Viennese sights such as the Giant Ferris Wheel, Schönbrunn Palace or the splendid buildings on Ring boulevard are located along the route of the Vienna City Marathon which ends at Heldenplatz, the vast square in front of the Imperial Palace. (Information, registration and starter kits: www.vienna-marathon.com)

May 2008

Albin Egger-Lienz at the Leopold Museum

Feb. 15 – May 29. The Leopold Museum is marking the 140th anniversary of the birth of Austrian expressionist Albin Egger-Lienz with an exhibition of more than 180 of his works. The artist achieved fame for his depictions of everyday farming life and human despair. The show takes up the themes of his Austrian homeland Tyrol, war, antiwar, heroes, and also life and hope. (Leopold Museum, 7th district, Museumsplatz 1, tel. +43–1–525 70–0, daily 10 am – 6 pm, Thurs 10 am – 9 pm, www.leopoldmuseum.org, discount with the Vienna Card)

Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen)

May 9 – June 15. The spectacular opening of the Vienna Festival on City Hall Square is devoted to young artists – the finalists of the "Eurovision Young Musicians", an international competition for classic music. The program of the Vienna Festival comprises 42 productions from 22 countries: high-level opera, theater and composition masterpieces.

(various locations, tel. +43–1–589 22–0, www.festwochen.at)

Life Ball

May 17. Europe’s most glamorous AIDS charity event, the Life Ball, transforms Vienna's historic City Hall into an exuberant dance palace. The highlight is the opening event – a fashion show featuring international top models and a star designer. A giant catwalk is set up in front of City Hall, enabling around 40,000 people to enjoy this top-notch spectacle free of charge. (www.lifeball.org)