Vienna State Opera Choir

The choir of the Vienna State Opera is considered one of the leading opera choirs in the world. It consists of 92 full-time professional singers, and along with the soloists, orchestra, Ballet and stage hands, they are one of the cornerstones of the Vienna State Opera.

The choir stands on stage 300 evenings in the year in up to 55 different operas from 3 centuries. The choir has recorded numerous prize winning CDs and DVDs, and regularly take part in acclaimed world-wide concerts as a part of the international tours of the Vienna State Opera. In addition, individual members of the choir have regular small solo parts in the performances of the Vienna State Opera.

The traditional, unique and highly acclaimed sound and the extensive repertoire of the State Opera choir was molded by numerous conductors, (especially through the years of cooperation with the conductor-directors of the house such as Johann von Herbeck, Wilhelm Jahn, Gustav Mahler, Felix von Weingartner, Richard Strauss, Franz Schalk, Clemens Krauss, Herbert von Karajan, Karl Böhm, Lorin Maazel, as well as music directors Claudio Abbado, Seiji Osawa and the former General Music Director, Franz Welser-Möst). Requirements for international auditions for the State Opera Choir includes the level of a completed vocal studies as well as the ability to sight sing. Whoever can get through the several audition stages, are then accepted into the choir. Since 2006, Thomas Lang is the choir director.