Latest news with #Strauss
France 24
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
Vienna calling: Strauss's 'The Blue Danube' to waltz into outer space
But the world famous waltz will truly travel among the stars on Saturday, when the European Space Agency's (ESA) antenna will broadcast a live performance of it into space to celebrate the composer's 200th birthday. The Vienna Symphony Orchestra will play a concert in the Austrian capital from 1930 GMT, Josef Aschbacher, ESA's director general, told AFP. The concert will be broadcast live on the internet and also be shown at a public screening in Vienna, in New York at Bryant Park, and near the antenna in Spain. "The digitised sound will be transmitted to the large 35-metre satellite dish at ESA's Cebreros ground station in Spain," Aschbacher said. And from there, the waltz will be "transmitted in the form of electromagnetic waves", the Austrian astronomer explained. 'Typical of space' Like no other waltz by Strauss junior, "The Blue Danube" evokes the elegance of 19th-century imperial Vienna, which lives on in the city's roaring ball season. For Norbert Kettner, director of the Vienna tourist board, the Danube waltz is a "true unofficial space anthem" because of Kubrick. The timeless waltz is the "typical sound of space", Kettner said, with the tunes being played "during various docking manoeuvres of the International Space Station (ISS)". When the waltz is performed on Saturday, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra will make sure to underline the waltz's airiness as if it were floating through space, its director Jan Nast said. According to Nast, who put together the programme for Saturday's hour-long "interstellar concert", music is a language "which touches many people" and has "the universal power to convey hope and joy". Filling a gap Once transmitted via Spain's satellite dish, the signal will travel at the speed of light to eventually reach NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft -- the most distant man-made object in the universe -- in approximately 23 hours and 3 minutes. After surpassing Voyager 1, it will continue its interstellar journey. By catching up with the spacecraft and its twin, Voyager 2, Austria also seeks to right a perceived wrong. Both Voyagers carry "Golden Records" -- 12-inch, gold-plated copper disks intended to convey the story of our world to extraterrestrials. The record holds 115 images of life on Earth, recorded in analogue form, and a variety of sounds and snatches of music. While "The Magic Flute" by Austria's composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was included among the selection of 27 music pieces, Strauss's famous waltz was not.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
VIENNA CELEBRATES AT BRYANT PARK AS THE BLUE DANUBE WALTZ IS SENT INTO SPACE
VIENNA, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Vienna Tourist Board is hosting a unique free event in New York's Bryant Park on May 31 to celebrate a historic transmission into deep space. In partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Wiener Symphoniker (Vienna Symphony Orchestra), Vienna will launch Johann Strauss II's "The Blue Danube" waltz towards NASA's Voyager 1. This interstellar broadcast is part of a larger celebration marking the 200th anniversary of Strauss's birth and rectifies its omission from the original Voyager Golden Records. Norbert Kettner, Director of the Vienna Tourist Board, said: "Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey made the 'Danube Waltz' the anthem of space – the omission of the most famous of all waltzes from the 1977 Voyager Golden Record is a cosmic mistake that we are correcting." The event is the culmination of Vienna's "Waltz Space" campaign, which invited fans to symbolically send a note of the song into space, with 13,743 note sponsors. The campaign aims not just to commemorate Strauss's birth, but to reinforce Vienna's status as the music capital of the world, positioning it as a destination full of rich musical experiences. The free event will take place in Manhattan's Bryant Park from 1:00 to 5:00 PM: 1:00 PM: Pre-show festivities with DJ Kyra Caruso, waltz lessons by Aga Bohun, and opportunities to claim a "SpaceNote"—a unique note from "The Blue Danube"—for a chance to win a trip to Vienna. 2:30 PM: Live broadcast of the "Waltz into Space" concert from Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), featuring works by Dvořák, Ligeti, Mozart, Josef Strauss, and Ives. 3:30 PM: Real-time transmission of "The Blue Danube" into deep space via ESA's Deep Space Antenna in Cebreros, Spain. 3:45 PM: Post-event wind-down with music and refreshments. The event is free and open to the public. Representatives from the Vienna Tourist Board will be available for interviews. For press photos, visit this Dropbox-Page. For more information on the "Waltz into Space" campaign, Vienna Tourist Board Newsroom or For the event's website visit SOURCE Vienna Tourist Board Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Al Etihad
3 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
ADNOC Distribution and TotalEnergies launch ADNOC Voyager lubricants in Egypt
28 May 2025 15:52 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)ADNOC Distribution, in partnership with TotalEnergies Marketing Egypt (TEME), has officially launched its ADNOC Voyager lubricant range across Egypt, marking a significant milestone in the brand's regional expansion strategy.'This is the first time Voyager products will be available at third-party retail outlets across Egypt,' a statement by posted ADNOC Distribution on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange's (ADX) website said. Currently sold through selected stores in Greater Cairo and the Nile Delta as well as on Amazon and noon, ADNOC Voyager aims to be present in 3,000 locations nationwide by the end of 2026, the statement lubricants are manufactured at a state-of-the-art blending facility in Borg El Arab operated by TEME. This local production initiative supports Egypt's industrial growth, creates skilled jobs, and reduces reliance on imports—aligning with the country's broader strategy to boost domestic manufacturing and attract foreign Bader Saeed Al Lamki, CEO of ADNOC Distribution, said: 'The national launch of ADNOC Voyager lubricants in Egypt marks a key milestone in our strategy to expand the reach of ADNOC's trusted, high-performance lubricants across Egypt and North Africa."The roll-out builds on ADNOC Distribution and TotalEnergies' shared commitment to sustainable growth and innovation, while deepening our collaboration, expanding ADNOC's regional footprint, and building future-ready capabilities that serve national priorities and regional markets alike.'ADNOC Distribution acquired 50% of TotalEnergies Marketing Egypt in 2023. With this launch, the company extends its presence from the UAE and Saudi Arabia into North Africa, entering Egypt's high-potential fuel retail and mobility Strauss, Managing Director and Country Chair of TEME, said: 'Launching ADNOC Voyager Lubricants in Egypt is a proud achievement for TEME and a reflection of the strength of our partnership. By manufacturing locally in Borg El Arab, we are ensuring accessibility, reliability, and top-tier performance for our customers. TotalEnergies Marketing Egypt represents a unique collaboration, proving that the two energy majors – TotalEnergies and ADNOC Distribution – can come together to drive innovation and elevate industry standards.'The launch event, held at Cairo's historic Abdeen Palace, also introduced the campaign 'Voyager: Powering Your Everyday Performance.' The event was attended by senior government officials and business leaders, including Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Eng. Karim Badawy; UAE Embassy representative Abdulbaset Mohammed Al Marzouqi; and top executives from both companies. ADNOC Voyager products, certified by over 180 international OEMs and organisations such as API and JASO, are used in more than 47 countries. Egypt, with an annual lubricants market nearing 450 kilotonnes, represents a key growth market driven by infrastructure expansion and a growing automotive sector. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Black beauty the star of the show
A black Simmental bull sold for $42,000 in North Taieri last week. Shawn McAvinue talks to Leafland Simental owner Everd Strauss about the big bull living up to the hype, the rise of the breed, balancing farming with his day job and his retirement plans. A black Simmental bull is living up to his sale pitch as "the star of the show". Rising 2-year-old black Simmental bull Leafland 230039 sold for $42,000 at the 24th Leafland Simmental bull sale in North Taieri last week. The bull buyer was Tom Sanson, of Gold Creek Simmentals in Mātāwai, about 45km northwest of Gisborne. In the sale catalogue, the bull was billed as "the star of the show" due to his exceptional growth, eye muscle area, intramuscular fat and docility. The hererozygous polled bull is the progeny of sire Rissington Rocketman 200230 and dam Leafland 1614190110. Vendors Everd and Marie Strauss, who have been married for 50 years, established the Leafland Dr Strauss said $42,000 was the highest price paid for one of their bulls, eclipsing a previous best of $27,500. He was expecting Leafland 230039 to fetch a good price. "He is an exceptional bull." The bull had positive estimated breeding values (EBV) for traits including carcass weight, marbling score, rib eye area, weaning and yearling weight. The "phenomenal" bull had created a lot of interest in the industry. "He was spoken about a lot nationally because of his figures — it is not often you have a perfect bull with EBVs like that." The bull was very docile. "He pretends to be a big boy but he is very quiet." At the sale, 22 of 25 bulls sold for an average price of $9022. Four of the bulls were sold to studs, Dr Strauss said. All of four black Simmental bulls at the auction sold for an average of $15,250. Black Simmental bulls accounted for about 15% of the stud and the rest were the traditional Simmental colour of red with white markings. The breeding programme might be adjusted to make the mix 50% black and 50% traditional, Dr Strauss said. Dr Strauss said the aim of the stud was to breed a moderate to large size cattle beast, maturing early and with "explosive" growth, producing a high carcass value at the works including premium for marbling at the meatworks, while maintaining calving ease. Docility was an important trait in their breeding programme, he said. "Anything that misbehaves is out." A sign of the rise of the breed was all of the more than 80 bulls on offer at Kerrah Simmentals in Wairoa selling for an average price of more than $12,000 last week. Dr Strauss was among the buyers at the Kerrah sale, paying $18,000 for a bull. Leafland sheep and beef farm was 315ha of "mostly hills" in North Taieri. Another 100ha was leased on Otago Peninsula. When the grass stops growing in North Taieri late next month, the herd would be moved to the peninsula block and return home a fortnight before calving. The sheep on Leafland were Wiltshires. The latest lambs sent to the meatworks, averaged nearly 20kg and fetched $168. Dr Strauss works as an anaesthetist five days a week in Dunedin. Among the crowd of about 80 people at the sale was Dr Strauss' friend and colleague cardiac surgeon Richard Bunton. "We worked together on the weekend doing a heart operation," Dr Strauss said. Dr Strauss was raised on a cattle farm in South Africa and the couple moved to Leafland farm in 1993. "We bought the first 40ha by fax machine." The farm size had increased as they bought neighbouring properties. After moving to Dunedin, they bought three heifers from Garry McCorkindale, of Glenside Simmentals in Waitahuna, and launched the Leafland stud the following year. Leafland Simmental stud was his "retirement plan". "I'm turning 72 and when I retire, probably in the next year or so, I want to carry on farming until I fall over." The Simmental breed was "on the up" and many Angus breeders were buying genetics to use in their herds, he said. Southern bull sale results last week: • Taiaroa Charolais, Paerau. Sold 20 of 22. Average $7775. Top $13,000. • Glenhu Shorthorn, Heriot. Sold 13 of 16. Average $6958. Top $12,000. • Delmont Angus, Clinton. Sold 33 of 33. Average $10,000. Top $18,000. • Leafland Simmental, Taieri. Sold 22 of 25. Average $9022. Top $42,000. • Beresford Simmental, Catlins. Sold 12 of 15. Average $7800. Top $14,000. • Hill Valley Simmental, Teviot. Sold 10 of 10. Average $7750. Top $12,000. • Locharburn Herefords, Cromwell. Sold 22 of 29. Average $6400. Top $13,500. • Glenside Simmental, Waitahuna. Sold 11 of 15. Average $9409. Top $14,500. • Stoneburn Hereford and Angus, Palmerston. Hereford: 16 of 16. Average $9812. Top $15,000. Angus: 24/24. Average $8250. Top $14,000.
Mint
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Johann Strauss' The Blue Danube, famously used in Squid Game, will be beamed to space to mark its 50th anniversary
Johann Strauss II's iconic orchestral waltz The Blue Danube, once the sonic backdrop for both Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and the Netflix megahit Squid Game, is about to reach its most literal destination yet: outer space. In a bold and poetic gesture, the European Space Agency (ESA) will beam The Blue Danube into the cosmos this Saturday to mark two landmark anniversaries—the 50th year since ESA's formation and 200 years since the birth of the Austrian composer Strauss himself. The Vienna Symphony Orchestra will perform the piece live in Austria, while a powerful radio antenna based in Spain simultaneously broadcasts it beyond Earth's atmosphere. Despite its deep cultural association with space—most memorably accompanying a balletic docking scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey—The Blue Danube was glaringly absent from NASA's 1977 Voyager Golden Records. These interstellar time capsules included 27 musical tracks from around the world, but no waltz from Strauss made the cut. 'The absence of the most famous of all waltzes from the 1977 Voyager Golden Record is a cosmic mistake,' said Norbert Kettner, director of the Vienna Tourist Board, which is partnering with ESA for the occasion. 'We are delighted to correct it—better late than never.' The waltz has recently found a new generation of admirers thanks to the Emmy-winning Korean drama Squid Game, where it underscored key moments with eerie calm in contrast to the brutal on-screen events. Its use in the hit series has reignited interest in the piece, especially among younger audiences who may have never encountered it in concert halls or cinema before. While there's no alien audience confirmed (yet), the symbolic act of broadcasting The Blue Danube carries both cultural and scientific weight. As the waltz floats once again among stars - this time literally - Strauss' dreamy melodies will serve as a sonic ambassador for Earth's elegance and creativity.
