On April 6th at 8:30 p.m., the net proceeds will be used as a donation for the ORF LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL campaign
Vienna (OTS) – There is hardly a more famous choral work than “Hallelujah” from GF Handel’s “Messiah”. This is just a part of many powerful and famous arias and choruses in this extraordinary oratorio, which has thrilled audiences and musicians alike around the world since its premiere in Dublin in 1742. Handel himself continued to develop his music after the premiere and repeatedly made changes to the score. The libretto comes largely from the Old Testament and looks prophetically at Jesus Christ, the Messiah, recounting the birth, passion and resurrection and foreshadowing his return on the last day.
Stars of the Vienna State Opera
“Messiah” is a church oratorio that features a very unique interplay between orchestra, choir and soloists in its dramaturgy and proclamation of the biblical word. The solo parts have a top-class cast: Monica Theiss-Eröd sings soprano and Adrian Eröd sings bass. Together with the Scottish contralto Stephanie Maitland and the Japanese-Welsh tenor Hiroshi Amako, stars of the Vienna State Opera will sing in St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
10 years of the Radio Vienna Choir
With the performance of “Messiah”, the Radio Wien Choir under the direction of Rainer Keplinger reaches its musical peak since it was founded ten years ago. The ensemble, which consists of employees and friends of the ORF, has already performed parts of “Messiah” on television at Christmas 2023 – together with the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna – in ORF Vienna’s national program for LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL . The spectrum of the Radio Vienna Choir extends from classical music to Viennese songs to pop music – entirely in the timbre of Radio Vienna. The choir was founded by the then ORF Vienna regional director Brigitte Wolf. Since then, the musical direction has been in the hands of the studied church musician and conductor Rainer Keplinger, who makes his living as an editor and broadcast manager at ORF III. Numerous radio and television recordings as well as live performances on ORF round off the Radio Vienna Choir’s musical activities.
The Vienna Cathedral Orchestra
Together with the Vienna Cathedral Orchestra, “Messiah” will be performed in a slightly shortened version in the Easter Octave in St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The Vienna Cathedral Orchestra plays almost every Sunday in St. Stephen’s Cathedral and interprets classical and contemporary literature under cathedral conductor Markus Landerer and concertmaster Wang-yu Ko. This makes the orchestra one of the absolute top professionals in church music, even when it comes to the performance of “Messiah”. Florian C. Reithner will be heard on the organ and harpsichord.
Donate to LIGHT IN THE DARK
The Radio Wien Choir – as a registered non-profit organization – has defined its goal as “singing” donations for LICHT INS DUNKEL through music-making. The net proceeds from ticket sales for the performance of “Messiah” will also go to LICHT INS DUNKEL. But such a big concert would not be possible without strong partners. St. Stephen’s Cathedral, ORF Vienna with its regional director Edgar Weinzettl, all singers and musicians as well as the concert agency “Art and Culture” support this project so that the largest possible donation result can be achieved for LICHT INS DUNKEL.
George Frideric Handel’s oratorio “Messiah”
Saturday, April 6, 2024, 8:30 p.m. (without break)
St. Stephen’s Cathedral Vienna
ORF Radio Vienna Choir
Vienna Cathedral Orchestra
Monica Theiss-Eröd, soprano
Stephanie Maitland, Alt
Hiroshi Amako, Tenor
Adrian Eröd, Bass
Florian C. Reithner, organ and harpsichord
Wang-yu Ko, Konzertmeister
Rainer Keplinger, Dirigent
Tickets below www.kunstkultur.com
Inquiry note: radiowienchor@orf.at
Questions & Contact:
Ruth Kienast
Marketing and communication
ORF regional studio Vienna
+43 1 50201-18586
+43 664 8178612
ruth.kienast@orf.at