Wiener Schnitzel, an Austrian dish renowned worldwide (and never served with noodles in its homeland!) was the centrepiece of a lively tourism event on Tuesday, hosted by an Austrian delegation visiting Australia.
Guests learned plenty about Schnitzel, along with other Austrian developments and attractions.
Firstly, authentic Wiener Schnitzel is always veal. Austrian law forbids chicken, pork or other meats being passed off as Wiener Schnitzel. Also, as Austrian National Tourist Office director Australia, Astrid Gruchmann-Licht, made clear, accompaniments do not include noodles.
This was backed up by master chef Andreas Puhar, who went on to whip up a perfect Schnitzel – served with buttered parsley potatoes, potato and mesclun salad and lingonberries.
At the Park Hyatt Sydney, guests met their hosts from some of Austria’s most beautiful destinations, hotels and museums – including Vienna, Innsbruck, the Arlberg, Hotel Alstadt Vienna and the Kuntsthistorisches Museum Vienna.
John Baldessari, Beethoven’s Trumpet (with Ear) Opus # 133, 2007, Photo Timo Ohler, © John Baldessari. Courtesy of the artist, Sprüth Magers and Beyer Projects
Quite apart from food, there’s plenty happening in Austria in the coming year, much of it to do with Ludwig van Beethoven, (1770–1827).
2020 marks the 250th anniversary of the great composer’s birth. Vienna became Beethoven’s creative centre and the setting for most of his premieres. In this special anniversary year, the Vienna Tourist Board has invited a select group of people who identify as Viennese by choice to talk about their ties to the capital of music and has developed an interactive Beethoven audiobook with the Wiener Symphoniker for Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
The rich musical legacy of Viennese classical music continues to thrive in all its vitality and variety in the capital of music. Today, like 250 years ago, Vienna still sets the tone as the capital of music. Every night in the city around 10,000 music fans are treated to live classical music at the State Opera, Musikverein, Konzerthaus, Volksoper and countless other great music institutions. Vienna has successfully managed to transpose its classical music legacy into the present day, adding plenty of fresh impetus along the way.
Austrian National Tourist Office director Australia, Astrid Gruchmann-Licht (third from left), with guests at the Park Hyatt Sydney
The Vienna Tourist Board has developed an innovative voice application for the Amazon and Google voice assistants in time for 2020 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven. Users who activate the Beethoven in Vienna Alexa Skill or Google Action, hear the start of an interactive audiobook on the life and work of Ludwig van Beethoven, who was born in Bonn in 1770, but would go on to spend the majority of his life in the Austrian capital.
It recounts stories and anecdotes that include surprising details that will intrigue even the most well-informed Beethoven experts and reveal a great deal about his works and personality.
Austrian National Tourist Office director Australia, Astrid Gruchmann-Licht, with Austrian chef Andreas Puhar
Recordings of his wonderful music – performed by the Wiener Symphoniker under Philippe Jordan – provide the soundtrack. Key passages from each of Ludwig van Beethoven’s nine symphonies have been chosen. The Beethoven’s Vienna (the German version is called Beethovens Wien) Alexa Skill and Google Action voice application, which is available from the relevant stores will be advertised via online campaigns and channels operated by the Vienna Tourist Board and the Wiener Symphoniker.
Wilma Himmelfreundpointner from St Anton am Arlberg
In the spring of 2020, the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, in cooperation with the Archive of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna, will present an unusual homage to Beethoven.
The exhibition brings together paintings by Caspar David Friedrich, sketchbooks by William Turner, graphic works by Francisco de Goya and Jorinde Voigt, sculptures by Auguste Rodin, Rebecca Horn and John Baldessari and a brand new work by Tino Sehgal; all of which are brought into dialogue with the music and persona of Beethoven. The exhibition will thus build a visual bridge with the present by being a poetic reflection of the composer and his work: masterpieces of fine art enter into connections with music and silence.
Edited by Peter Needham
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