About

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, former director of the Salzburg Festival, it was originally known as the Ruhr Triennale Chorus and/or the Baden-Baden Festival Chorus, being associated with those two festivals.

In 2006 the renamed "Vienna Philharmonia Chorus" started performing as an independent choral society, working with renowned conductors including Sir Simon Rattle, Claudio Abbado, Marc Minkowski, Kent Nagano, Thomas Hengelbrock, Zubin Mehta, Christian Thielemann and Riccardo Muti and making guest performances in opera productions at the Bremen Music Festival (L'Arlésienne (The Girl from Arles)), in Reggio Emilia and Ferrara (The Magic Flute), Baden-Baden (Parsifal, The Magic Flute, Tannhäuser) and at the Ruhr Triennale (Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute).

In April 2008 the Chorus appeared in the Salzburg Festival guest performances of The Marriage of Figaro in Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo. January 2009 saw the Chorus perform Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of the Rose) at Baden-Baden Festival Theatre under Christian Thielemann, with subsequent concert performances in Paris and Munich.

At Whitsun 2009 the Philharmonia Chorus appeared at the Baden-Baden Festival in Robert Wilson's new production of Der Freischütz (The Marksman), conducted by Thomas Hengelbrock, which was repeated in a concert version at the Lucerne Festival in August 2009.

In January 2010 the ensemble appeared in Elektra under Christian Thielemann at Baden-Baden Festival Theatre. At the Salzburg Whitsun Festival in 2010 the Chorus gave a staged performance of Mozart's Betulia liberata (The Liberation of Bethulia) and a concert performance of Jomelli's Betulia liberata, conducted by Riccardo Muti. These two works were also performed at the Ravenna Festival in early July 2010.

The Philharmonia Chorus returned to the Salzburg Whitsun Festival in 2011, this time with Saverio Mercadante's opera I due Figaro (The Two Figaros) and the Cherubini Requiem, both under Riccardo Muti. I due Figaro was also performed at the Ravenna Festival in June 2011, as well as at the Teatro Real (Royal Theatre) in Madrid in March 2012 and the Teatro Colon (Columbus Theatre) in Buenos Aires in August/September 2012.

Another highlight for the Philharmonia Choir Vienna was the concert performances of Bellini’s opera La Straniera on the occasion of Edita Gruberova’s 45th stage anniversary on February 8 and 18, 2013, in the Great Hall of the Vienna Musikverein.

At Pentecost 2011, again under Muti, a production of Mercadante’s I due Figaro followed, which was subsequently performed at the Ravenna Festival, at Teatro Real in Madrid, and at Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. At the Salzburg Festival 2013, the choir was heard in Falstaff under Zubin Mehta and in a concert performance of Giovanna d’Arco under Paolo Carignani.

In 2014, the choir participated in Don Giovanni under Christoph Eschenbach and in concert performances of La Favorite under Roberto Abbado.

Among the choir’s recent engagements were concert performances of Rienzi under Alejo Pérez in Madrid and Bellini’s La Straniera under Pietro Rizzo at the Vienna Musikverein.

Since 2014, the Philharmonia Choir Vienna has also been involved in the Baden-Baden Easter Festival under Sir Simon Rattle in Manon Lescaut, Rosenkavalier, and Tristan, as well as at the Baden-Baden Whitsun Festival in Faust under Thomas Hengelbrock and this year in Mefistofele under Stefan Soltesz.

The ensemble was once again invited to the Salzburg Festival in 2016 and achieved great success with the new production of Gounod’s Faust under Alejo Pérez. Likewise, it performed in a concert performance of Thaïs under Patrick Fournillier, featuring Plácido Domingo. The revival of Don Giovanni was conducted by Alain Altinoglu.

The Philharmonia Choir Vienna is also in demand as a concert choir, led by its founder Walter Zeh, and has established itself as an outstanding ensemble on international stages.

Selected Major Productions

2017

"Tosca" – Easter Festival Baden-Baden
Performance at the Festspielhaus under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle.
Enthralling presentation of the choral scenes.

"The Seven Last Words of Our Savior on the Cross" – Wissembourg
Expressive interpretation of Joseph Haydn's profound work.

"I due Foscari" – Salzburg Festival
Performance at the Großes Festspielhaus under Michele Mariotti.
Precisely sung choral passages.

"Der Mieter" – Oper Frankfurt
World premiere under Kazushi Ono.
Innovative sound design contributing to the opera’s dark atmosphere.

2018

"Parsifal" – Easter Festival Baden-Baden
Once again under Sir Simon Rattle at the Festspielhaus.
Impressive realization of the choral scenes.

"L’Italiana in Algeri" – Salzburg Whitsun Festival
Performances under Jean-Christophe Spinosi at the Haus für Mozart.
Captivating rendition of the lively choral numbers.

"Les Pêcheurs de Perles" – Salzburg Festival
Großes Festspielhaus with Patrick Fournillier.
Sensitive interpretation of Georges Bizet's masterpiece.

"Les Contes d’Hoffmann" – Bremen and Baden-Baden
Collaboration with Marc Minkowski.
Expressive choral performance.

"Rigoletto" – Paris and Luxembourg
With Gustavo Gimeno at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and the Philharmonie Luxembourg.
Perfectly balanced presentation of Verdi’s choral pieces.

"Beethoven’s 9th Symphony" – New Year’s Eve Gala at the Brucknerhaus Linz
Conducted by Markus Poschner.
Powerful and festive interpretation of the famous final chorus.

2019

"Otello" – Easter Festival Baden-Baden
Under Zubin Mehta at the Festspielhaus.
Poignant performance of emotionally charged choral scenes.

"Adriana Lecouvreur" – Salzburg Festival
With Marco Armiliato at the Großes Festspielhaus.
Perfect balance between drama and lyrical elegance.

"The Magic Flute" – St. Margarethen Quarry
Conducted by Karsten Januschke.
Excellent interpretation of the choral sections.

"Lohengrin" – Salzburg Felsenreitschule
Under Leslie Suganandaraja.
Powerful realization of Wagnerian choral compositions.

2020

"Messiah" – Handel’s Version Adapted by W.A. Mozart
Performances at the Mozart Week Salzburg, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, and the Geneva Opera.
Inspiring interpretation of Baroque choral music.

2023

"I Capuleti e i Montecchi" – Salzburg Festival
With Marco Armiliato at the Felsenreitschule.
The choir impressed with an expressive and sonically flawless rendition of Bellini’s opera.

2024

"The Creation" – Ravenna Festival
With Ottavio Dantone at Sant’Apollinare in Classe.
Moving performance of Joseph Haydn’s monumental oratorio.

"Hamlet" – Salzburg Festival
With Bertrand de Billy at the Felsenreitschule.
Once again, the choir demonstrated its versatility, delivering an expressive interpretation of the dramatic choral passages.

"Dorothea" – Benedek Istvánffy’s Mass in Györ
Under Martin Rajna at the cathedral.
Sacred choral music at its finest.

The Philharmonia Chor Wien continues to be a significant force in the international music scene, captivating audiences with outstanding artistic excellence.

Founder and Choral Director: Walter Zeh

Walter Zeh was born in Vienna, where he studied at the Conservatory and at the University of Music and Performing Arts. In 1970 he was admitted to the Vienna State Opera Chorus as a soloist, and remained a member for 32 years. Throughout this entire period he also made guest appearances as a soloist at numerous great opera houses, including the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, La Scala in Milan, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona and the Opéra Bastille and Palais Garnier in Paris, as well as at the Salzburg Festival and Easter Festival and in Japan.

He also enjoyed a busy career as a Lied and concert singer, both at home and abroad, and made CD recordings with some of the world's leading conductors.

thais — © Salzburger Festspiele, Marco Borrelli

Walter Zeh has worked for many years as a singing teacher and voice coach for opera productions at the Opéra Bastille and at the Salzburg Festival and Easter and Whitsun Festivals, among others.

Since 1997 he has been the Artistic Director of the Vienna Neubau Choir. In his capacity as a freelance choral director he has been involved in various productions since 2002, inter alia for the Baden-Baden Festival Theatre, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Ruhr Triennale, the Salzburg Festival, the Bremen Music Festival, the Lucerne Festival, the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, the Concert Hall in Dortmund, St. Pölten Festival Theatre and the Vienna Musikverein.

He was also invited to rehearse and conduct a concert programme with the China National Chorus in Beijing.

In Memoriam: Honorary Member Gerard Mortier

Some words of remembrance from Walter Zeh, founder and artistic director of the Vienna Philharmonia Chorus:

I would like to pick out three key milestones in our long-standing collaboration with Gerard Mortier: I got to know Gerard Mortier in 1989 in my capacity as President of the Vienna State Opera Chorus Concert Association, and was fortunate enough to work with him at the Salzburg Festival in the extraordinary period from 1992 to 2001.

In 2002 he invited me to form a chorus for the first Ruhr Triennale, the new festival he had founded in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia; it was from this that the Vienna Philharmonia Chorus later evolved.

In 2012 he invited the Chorus to take part in the productions of "I due Figaro" and "Rienzi" under his directorship at the Teatro Real in Madrid. It was during this period that we had the honour of making Gerard Mortier an Honorary Member.

We shall continue in our endeavour to live up to the great faith Gerard Mortier showed in us, carrying on our work inspired by his spirit. He will forever remain in our thoughts.