Musikverein is one of the world's most prestigious and emblematic classical music venueswhich has always been reserved for the greatest - from Brahms to Muti - and now also for a Slovenian conductor whose artistic work has transcended borders for more than two decades.
Živa Ploj Peršuh performed as part of the Wiener Concert-Verein concert series and Salieri 250, conducted this season by Riccardo Muti. The programme included works Antonio Salieri, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Xaver Süssmayer and a premiere performance by contemporary Czech composer Tomas Illejawritten for this very occasion.
The soloist of the concert was Sebastian Breit, principal oboist of the Vienna Philharmonic.
With this outstanding performance, Živa Ploj Peršuh was also officially invited to sign the Musikverein Golden Book - an honour reserved exclusively for conductors who perform with the resident orchestras of this renowned house. This is not only a personal achievement, but also symbolic proof of the breakthrough of Slovenian musical knowledge to the highest level of European concert art.
The invitation was the result of a long-lasting dialogue and trust, which started already in 2022, when the artistic director of the Wiener Concert-Verein visited Ljubljana and was impressed by the concert of the Slovenian Youth Orchestra and the artistic philosophy that Živa implements also through her work with young people.
For Živa Ploj Peršuh, this was her first appearance at the Musikverein, but it was also a natural consequence of her long-standing commitment to the integration of art, education and cultural diplomacy.
The link with Vienna continues
This link with Vienna is about to deepen. Already on 23 October 2025 ART BSA returns to the Austrian capital with a conductor and young musicians for a performance at the Konzerthaus Wiena Internationala Initiative SIT DOWN - A musical manifesto that addresses key global challenges through the art of music through the eyes of children and young people.
This year, our long-standing project of the Slovenian Youth Orchestra – POK25 part of the wider SIT DOWN cultural and diplomatic initiative, where young artists from different countries tell leaders: it's time to sit down with us and listen to our aspirations for the future.
