The Vienna Philharmonia Chorus is a professional opera and concert chorus that performs all over the world. Founded in 2002 at the initiative of Gerard Mortier, it was originally known as the Ruhr Triennale Chorus and/or the Baden-Baden Festival Chorus, being associated with those two festivals.
Since 2006 the renamed "Vienna Philharmonia Chorus" has been performing as an independent choral society, working with renowned conductors including Claudio Abbado, Marc Minkowski, Kent Nagano, Thomas Hengelbrock, Zubin Mehta, Christian Thielemann and Riccardo Muti and making regular guest appearances in major international opera productions.
Monteverdi's early masterpiece, which achieved resounding success in the spring of 2023 at the Semperoper Dresden in the captivating production by young Austrian director Nikolaus Habjan with Rolando Villazón in the title role, will come to the Mozart Week in an adaptation from the Elbe to the Salzach.
The Philharmonia Choir Vienna contributed significantly to the great success of this premiere. The women’s choir, in particular, had great moments in the second part, especially in connection with Ophélie's downfall.
„Komm, holder Lenz“ gab uns einen starken Vorgeschmack dessen, wozu der Philharmonia Chor Wien im weiteren Verlauf des Abends noch im Stande sein würde. Natürlich ist an dieser Stelle die fabelhafte Leistung von Walter Zeh zu erwähnen, der die Einstudierung der Chorstücke übernahm.
