Vienna Philharmonic

The 50-year-old Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin became the first gay director to lead the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert, upending century-old traditions by featuring works by female composers and highlighting LGBT rights. Before 50 million viewers, Nézet-Séguin left the podium to engage with the audience and kissed his husband during the Radetzky March. This edition marks a turning point for an event rooted in 1939 Nazi propaganda.