Start the Day Like a Local: One Venue, Two New Year “Main Events”
Kaohsiung’s end-of-year energy does not stop at midnight. On Thursday, January 1, 2026, Weiwuying (衛武營) stacks two very different but perfectly matched New Year rituals: a world-famous classical broadcast in the open air, and a deeply local, language-rich concert inside the music hall.
The Outdoor Moment: Vienna’s Golden Hall, Beamed Into Fengshan
Weiwuying says 2026 marks its 18th consecutive year broadcasting the Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert on New Year’s Day, projecting the “Golden Hall” vibe into Kaohsiung’s outdoor setting. The 2026 concert is conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin (亞尼克・聶澤－賽金), in his first time leading this tradition.
According to the orchestra’s official description, this New Year’s Concert is broadcast worldwide in over 150 countries and reaches roughly 50 million viewers, which makes the outdoor screening feel like a local party plugged into a global countdown. https://www.npac-weiwuying.org/programs/67fdf610a0f1a10008003e00?lang=en
Then Flip the Mood: ABAO’s “Nanguaq” Turns New Year Into a Shared Song
Later the same day, the program shifts from Strauss sparkle to something intimate and grounded: ABAO Abao’s New Year concert, titled Nanguaq (美好之音, literally “beautiful sounds”). The show’s concept is summed up in one line from the event page: “Indigenous music is music together.”
Reported credits note music direction by Musa Ming Martin (Musa明馬丁), with a small onstage setup including performers such as Yeh Jun-Lin (葉俊麟) and Ukusane Du Zhi-Hao (Ukusane杜志豪), plus a chanting chorus listed across multiple names. The point is not “bigger,” it’s closer: voices, languages, and a stripped-down arrangement that carries from traditional singing to newer work. https://www.npac-weiwuying.org/programs/67f4dd7892c6570008f0f98c?lang=en
The Simple Itinerary (So You Can Dress Right and Pace Yourself)
New Year’s Day schedule at Weiwuying (as reported by local coverage and event listings):
- 14:30 ABAO Abao “unplugged” concert begins (indoor program listing).
- 16:00 Outdoor warm-up performance by Silk Bamboo Sky Jazz Ensemble (絲竹空爵士樂團).
- 18:00 Outdoor live broadcast: Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert.
Lifestyle notes: bring a light jacket for the evening screening, charge your phone early, and plan a “sit, walk, sit” rhythm so the day feels like a holiday, not a marathon.
This pairing is more than a convenient double bill. It uses a globally recognized cultural ritual (Vienna on January 1) to pull people into a shared public space, then makes room for a Taiwan-rooted concert that centers Indigenous languages and collaboration. For southern audiences especially, it’s a rare “same-day” blend of international ceremony and local creative identity, designed for post-New Year travel flow and a full-day city vibe.
Statistics
| Metric | Number | What it refers to |
|---|---|---|
| Consecutive years (Weiwuying broadcast) | 18 | Weiwuying’s stated streak of New Year’s Day Vienna concert broadcasts. |
| Global broadcast reach (Vienna Philharmonic) | 150+ countries | Officially described worldwide broadcast footprint. |
| Estimated viewers (Vienna Philharmonic) | ~50,000,000 | Officially cited approximate audience size. |
| Key times on Jan 1, 2026 | 14:30, 16:00, 18:00 | Reported program flow: ABAO set, warm-up, then Vienna live broadcast. |
Part of the appeal is the venue itself. Weiwuying is a national-level performing arts center in southern Taiwan, opened in 2018, designed by Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo led by Francine Houben. It is also known for its Music Hall organ with 9,085 pipes. When a place is built to hold both spectacle and intimacy, a New Year program like this makes sense: step outside for a city-scale screening, then step inside for a concert that feels personal.
Sources & References
Central News Agency (CNA) report on Weiwuying’s 2026 New Year programming (Dec 22, 2025) — CNA;
Program timing and credited lineup details (Dec 23, 2025) — Liberty Times (Art);
Ticketing page and program description for ABAO “Nanguaq” (includes “Indigenous music is music together” copy and group discounts) — OPENTIX;
Vienna Philharmonic official New Year’s Concert notes (broadcast in 150+ countries; audience estimate; Yannick Nézet-Séguin first time) — Wiener Philharmoniker;
Venue background (opening year, architect, organ pipes count) — Wikipedia: National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts.
