バイエルン国立歌劇場合唱団

With over 100 members from more than 23 nations, the Bayerischer Staatsopernchor is one of the largest opera choruses in Germany. Currently under the direction of Christoph Heil, the chorus performs in opera productions and regularly appears in concerts alongside the Bayerisches Staatsorchester. The chorus’s history dates back to the 16th century, when Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria established the first professional vocal ensemble. Since then, the chorus has grown continuously. It has participated in numerous world premieres, including works by composers such as Richard Strauss, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Paul Hindemith, as well as contemporary composers like Unsuk Chin, Jörg Widmann, and Hans Abrahamsen. Over the decades, the chorus has been shaped by legendary conductors including Bruno Walter, Carlos Kleiber, Zubin Mehta, Kirill Petrenko, and the current General Music Director Vladimir Jurowski. The repertoire of the Bayerischer Staatsopernchor comprises over one hundred works, from Monteverdi to contemporary compositions. In the concert repertoire, the chorus impresses with performances of major works such as Händel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s Missa solemnis, Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem, and Mahler’s Symphonies No. 2 and 3. International tours have taken the chorus to New York, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Oman. Starting January 1, 2026, the Bayerische Staatsoper will launch its Choral Academy, a fellowship program designed to provide young international vocal talents with a structured transition from academic training to a professional career in opera chorus singing.