The Kölner Bürgerchor
Miniseries
The idea
Cologne is a musical city. And we, the Orchestra of the City of Cologne, want to make music together with you! In the 2022/23 season, this wish will come true. Two very special projects bring together a powerful-voiced choir that is as colorful and multifaceted as our city: »The Kölner Bürgerchor«.
Together with the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne under the direction of François-Xavier Roth, the »Bürgerchor« opened the 22/23 season in a large festive concert with Beethoven's 9th Symphony: »Freude schöner Götterfunken«. But this project is not to remain the only one. Shortly before Christmas, on December 18, 2022, the great choir will come together again to perform the »Wunschzettelkonzert« together with the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, in which the audience has previously chosen the concert program and can look forward to singing along.
In this miniseries, we follow the individual stages of the rehearsal work, talk to conductors, singers and organizers and get the perfect insight into such an impressive project.
Episode 1
Anticipation of the festive concert »Drunk with fire«
In the first episode we accompany the singers of the Kölner Bürgerchor during the first rehearsals for the project »Drunk with fire« with Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
Episode 2
On the Big Stage
The singers of the Bürgerchor meet the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne and François-Xavier Roth for the first time. The venue for the rehearsals is now no longer the university, but the Kölner Philharmonie. The tension is rising and the anticipation of the performance on the big stage is growing.
Episode 3
A festival of joy
The day of the big season opening has come. The singers of the choir prepare for the festive concert »Drunk with fire« shortly before the performance. The joy is palpable and the entire audience is carried away. What a celebration of joy.
Episode 4
Preparing for the wish list concert
The Bürgerchor goes into the second round! At the start of the rehearsals for the wish list concert on 18.12.2022, familiar faces meet again, but also new singers are present. The anticipation for the project is rising and the enthusiasm for singing together unites the multi-faceted Bürgerchor.
The Kölner Bürgerchor sings at the Christmas market
We are in the final preparations for the big wish list Christmas concert on December 18, 2022. The Bürgerchor is warming up together with the audience at the Christmas market at Cologne Cathedral, because the voices of the audience are also needed in the wish list concert.
Episode 5
The first rehearsal with the orchestra
It's on to the big stage for the Bürgerchor. The singers have now developed into a seasoned choir and meet the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne and François-Xavier Roth for the first time. Nothing now stands in the way of the wish list concert on December 18, 2022.
Folge 6
The wish list concert
Finally, the time has come: the Bürgerchor performs with the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne on the big stage of the Cologne Philharmonic Hall. The wish list concert has once again shown all singers, musicians and everyone in the audience what really matters at Christmas: togetherness, joy and making music together.