The Free Republic of Vienna will be a republic of love for five weeks. The Opening on Vienna’s Rathausplatz is free of charge and combines pop and traditional brass bands, punk and Schlager music, opera and Volksmusik into one great party for Vienna, Europe and the world.

On 16 May, legendary stars such as New York performance icon Laurie Anderson and ESC winner Nicole will open the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) at Rathausplatz under the motto V is for loVe. With free admission, the opening unites pop and brass music, punk and pop, opera and folk music into a big celebration for Vienna, Europe and the world: Soap&Skin, Faber, Der Nino aus Wien and Amadeus Austrian Music Awards winner 2025 Sodl, the Mozart Choir, the Jauntaler Trachtenkapelle Loibach, our band of the Republic Caravan of LUV and many more will be on stage together on this great, poetic and political evening against fascism, nationalism and bad vibes – because V is for loVe!

Vienna becomes a republic of love for five festival weeks and ORF and 3sat broadcast the event live.

This year, the opening will be accompanied in Austrian sign language. In addition to interpreting the speeches, the music programme will be performed in sign language by the artist Pam Eden. Visitors on site can use the designated Deaf Space on Rathausplatz. The accessible program can also be seen on TV on ORF II Europe.