About us
The Salzburg Advent Singing
75 years of The Salzburg Advent Singing
1946-2021
On the bitterly cold December 5, 1946, in the midst of the hardship and poverty of the post-war period, Tobi Reiser the Elder invited friends and companions to an Advent Singing in Salzburg for the first time.
Three days earlier, Tobias Reiser the Younger saw the light of day. For both of them, the Heimatwerk and Advent singing became a passionate task and success story that would accompany them for the rest of their lives. For two decades, the poet K.H. Waggerl was regarded as the indispensable, formative voice of this traditional event, and for 20 years now, General Director Hans Köhl and his dedicated team have been shaping this unique Advent experience in the Grosses Festspielhaus. Around one thousand performances for over two million visitors are impressive testimony to the popularity of this internationally renowned cultural event.
Who comes once, comes again and again
This is impressively confirmed by the latest empirical study by the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce. Over 90% of the approximately 36,000 guests come to Salzburg mainly for the Advent carol singing.
Around 98% rate the event as very good or good and 99% of guests are very satisfied or satisfied with the service at Advent Singing. These figures are a mandate for Hans Köhl’s team and all those involved to continue to devote themselves to this unique traditional event with enthusiasm and passion. The mystery of divine love and the events leading up to the miracle of the birth of Christ are always at the center of their considerations.
What's the secret behind the great success?
What makes the Salzburg Advent Singing so special is the simple yet profound form of the Advent performances.
Carried by the longing for unity and peace and moved by the Advent power of silence, the biblical events are viewed from new perspectives every year. The musical and vocal performances by over 150 participants, combined with the scenic play, convey a very special atmosphere of wonder, introspection and memories of one’s own childhood. This touches and opens the hearts of around 2,200 guests at every performance. They laugh heartily at the honest charm of the shepherd children, are moved by the events surrounding Mary and Joseph and also shed tears of joy during the concluding “Andachtsjodler”.
How began the Salzburg Advent Singing
In 1946 the Salzburg Advent Singing was born.
Driven by a longing desire for a better, more peaceful world, musicians and singers gathered around Tobi Reiser the Elder (1907-1974) in a small meeting room in Salzburg’s old town to commemorate fathers, sons and friends who had not returned home from the war. It was a quiet, reverent celebration with familiar songs and melodies, heartfelt thoughts, religious piety and traditional customs. The ceremony became an annual tradition and the number of guests increased from year to year. The event moved to ever larger premises and finally, in 1960, to the newly built Großes Festspielhaus. Today, this unique “original” attracts around 36,000 guests from over 40 countries around the world every year.
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