THE MUSIC of the Strauss family always makes for a popular Spa Orchestra concert.

On New Year’s Day these irresistible tunes draw up to a thousand audience members into the Grand Hall and the popularity of Andre Rieu in recent years has attracted even more people to the waltzes and polkas of Vienna.

The Gala Night on Thursday, June 29, will be a great evening at the Spa for all lovers of Johann Strauss and his friends and family, as the Scarborough Spa Orchestra bring you A Night In Vienna. In addition to favourite orchestral items, there will also be some well-known songs from soprano Debra Morley.

Vienna must have been an amazing place in the later years of the 1800s and the early years of the 1900s. There was music everywhere. Countless composers and performers were either born in the city or travelled there to find fame and fortune. Towering above them all were the members of the Strauss family.

Johann the elder was the musical darling of the city until his oldest son, another Johann, reached musical maturity and quickly became a hero not only in his native Austria, but also throughout Europe. He was a great favourite of Queen Victoria and toured extensively throughout the UK.

Younger Johann’s bothers, Josef and Eduard, were also musical giants. Part of the family business, they too branched out with their own orchestras. Strangely, considering how much musical beauty and harmony they produced, as a family they were far from harmonious. Bitter rows and rivalries plagued their private lives. A family truly at war.

But all that will be forgotten by the Spa Orchestra audience as they enjoy familiar music, beautiful songs and great tunes by Strauss, Franz Lehar and many others who were caught up in the Viennese musical whirl.

Tickets are now on sale and are available from The Spa Box Office (01723) 821888 or via www.scarboroughspa.co.uk