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Akris Ballet Costumes for the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert
Albert Kriemler, Creative Director of Akris, has designed the costumes for a ballet—directed by John Neumeier—to be performed during the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert on New Year’s Day, 2026. The concert will be broadcast live on NHK E-Tele on Thursday, January 1 (a public holiday), starting at 7:00 PM. We invite you to enjoy this unique collaboration, where the worlds of fashion and the performing arts resonate with one another.
For over two decades, creative director Albert Kriemler and choreographer John Neumeier—the former artistic director of the Hamburg Ballet—have shared a deep passion for fashion, music, and dance. As a testament to this, Kriemler has designed costumes for ballets choreographed by Neumeier ever since the 2006 New Year’s Concert. Now, twenty years after their initial meeting at that very event, the two will join forces once again for a "ballet interlude" at the 2026 New Year’s Concert.
Dancers from the Vienna State Ballet, dressed in costumes designed by Alberto, will perform to "Roses from the South" and "Diplomat Polka"—works by this year’s featured composer, Johann Strauss II. Produced in a collaboration between the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) and the Vienna Philharmonic, the ballet sequences will unfold at two iconic Viennese landmarks: the waltz "Roses from the South" will be performed at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), while "Diplomat Polka" will take place within the magnificent setting of the Hofburg Palace.
In the waltz sequence, Albert interprets the lightness, elegance, and poetic bloom of "Roses from the South." The rose motif—symbolizing the lush nature of the tropics—is juxtaposed with airy silk georgette and sophisticated silhouettes, creating a striking contrast. Pleated panels and side slits allow the fabric to dance as if it were weightless, imbuing the dancers' movements with a sense of fluidity. The "Baccara Rose" dress, worn by First Soloist Ketevan Papava, perfectly embodies this vision, engaging in a visual dialogue with the male dancers, who are attired in velvet jackets in shades of emerald, petrol, and bottle green.
In Diplomat’s Polka, themes such as diplomacy and bureaucracy are powerfully reflected in the rhythm; Alberto has captured the precision and structure of this music through his signature wool double-face suits paired with stretch-jersey tank tops. A palette ranging from pink, crimson, and taupe to sand, blush, and ecru—oscillating between vivid accents and understated neutrals—expresses both the musical rhythm and the underlying theme of bureaucracy through color. In keeping with Alberto’s philosophy, these garments are not mere costumes; they are designed to accentuate the movements and individual personalities of the dancers. This timeless, modern style aligns perfectly with John Neumeier’s vision of highlighting the unique character of each individual dancer.
A 20-Year Collaboration: Over the past two decades, Albert Kriemler has designed costumes for several of John Neumeier’s choreographic works, including *Beethoven Project II* (2021), *Turangalîla* (2016), and *Legend of Joseph / The Vanished Festival* (Hamburg, 2008; Vienna, 2015). He also created costumes for the 2017 co-production of *Anna Karenina*, a collaboration between the Bolshoi Ballet (Moscow) and the National Ballet of Canada (Toronto), specifically for prima ballerina Anna Laudere. Most recently, the two collaborated once again on *Epilogue* (premiered June 30, 2024), the 173rd work created for the Hamburg Ballet. This piece marked the conclusion of Neumeier’s 51-year tenure as Artistic Director and Chief Choreographer of the Hamburg Ballet.
Click here for the special page on the "Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert 2026." [Broadcast Information] Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert 2026: Thursday, January 1, 2026 (Public Holiday), 7:00 PM, NHK E-Tele (Live Broadcast).
