This concert offers a unique opportunity to experience the vocal mastery for which one of the world's most renowned choirs has been celebrated for centuries. It's worth mentioning that the Vienna Boys' Choir is actually made up of four groups: "Mozart," "Haydn," "Schubert," and "Bruckner," with the "Bruckner Choir" (Brucknerchor) coming to Riga under the direction of Italian maestro Manolo Cagnin.
Watch the Vienna Boys' Choir video here
The choir is international, with boys from Austria, China, Germany, Japan, Romania, South Korea, and Ukraine. Each choir's name is not just symbolic; each of the four great composers (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, and Anton Bruckner) had some connection to this legendary musical ensemble and began their careers there.
The "Wiener Sängerknaben" is part of UNESCO's cultural heritage, along with its entire educational structure. The young singers are gathered from preschool age and trained according to the best traditions of the renowned Mozarteum Conservatory through a specially designed program.
The Vienna Boys' Choir was founded in 1498 when Emperor Maximilian I moved his court chapel, including six angel-voiced boys, from Innsbruck to Vienna. Since then, the choir has grown and gained worldwide fame, maintaining its high standards of vocal artistry for over 500 years. Their repertoire includes classical music, folk songs, and contemporary works, all performed with the utmost professionalism, pure sound, and deep emotional expression. In its 526-year history, the choir has only been interrupted twice, both times in the 20th century – after World War I and World War II.
The Vienna Boys' Choir performs on the world's largest stages and collaborates with renowned conductors such as Riccardo Muti and Zubin Mehta, as well as top-tier orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra. The choir regularly tours internationally, sharing Austria's cultural heritage and leaving audiences with an unforgettable burst of positive energy and inspiration. You may have already heard their voices – if not in person or at the Vienna Opera, then on albums by Madonna, Celine Dion, or Robbie Williams.
The choir is a two-time Grammy Award winner and first recorded in 1907. Since then, the "Wiener Sängerknaben" has released 43 records, 128 vinyl albums, 55 singles, and 150 albums. To celebrate their 525th anniversary, a 21-CD anthology was released.
However, even this grand collection doesn't cover their full repertoire. They regularly perform in vocal-symphonic works, cantatas, and oratorios, collaborating with the best orchestras and conductors worldwide. Continuing a long-standing tradition, the Vienna Boys' Choir collaborates with Europe's classical music recording leader, Deutsche Grammophon. Recently, they established their own label, "Resound," and have already released two albums.
The concert is supported by the Austrian Embassy in Latvia. Tickets are available at "Biļešu Paradīze" box offices and online.
