Figure 1.--The Vienna Choir Boys made this recording of opera music. We are not sure to what extent the boys sang opera music in their performances..

We are not sure how extensively the Vienna Choir Boys sing opera in their concerts, or even participate in actual operas. We have, however, noted some opera recordings made by the choir. Looking at the titles of the songs here, however, I don't understand why this record is called Operatic. Nearly all of them are German volkslieder (folk songs). Perhaps one is from an opera or ballet. This LP cover was on the Ariola label and was made in Germany. There is no date but it looks like it is from the 60s.

The Vienna Choir Boys boys are more specialised in either sacred or secular music as well as in folk songs. However they recorded quite a few operas, frequently with the Chorus Viennensis (former boys of choir). It must be noted that often an opera requires only few boys and not full choir. Also many recordings are done live, and you can't expect young boys to play charachters that can be quite heavy and difficult, it therefore happens in most of the cases that such roles will be held by professional soprani.

Here is a list of operas where the Vienna Choir Boys participated:

Alban Berg: "Wozzeck" Grundheber/Behrens/Haugland/Langridge/Raffeiner/Zednik DG Abbado/Vienna State Opera Chorus/ 423 587-2 Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Georges Bizet: "Carmen" Price/Corelli/Merrill/Freni RCA Victor Karajan/Vienna State Opera Chorus/ GD 86199 (3) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: "Die Zauberflöte" Decca Ziesak/Jo/Zednik/Krauss 433-210-2 Solti/Vienna State Opera Chorus/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

"Die Zauberflöte" Decca Deutekom/Burrows/Prey/Lorengar/Talvela 414 568-2 Solti/ Vienna State Opera Chorus/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Modest Mussorgsky: "Khovanshchina" Lipovsek/Atlantov/Zednik/Burchuladze/Haugland/Kotscherga DG Abbado/Vienna State Opera Chorus/ 429-758-2 Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Giacomo Puccini: "Turandot" DG Ricciarelli/Hendricks/Domingo/Raimondi 423-855-2 Karajan/Vienna State Opera Chorus/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Marton/Ricciarelli/Carreras/Kmentt/Wildhaber/Zednik/Rydl Sony Maazel/Vienna State Opera Chorus/ CD 39 160 Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Dmitri Shostakovich: "Symphony no. 3" Denon Inbal/Vienna Symphony Orchestra CO 75444

Richard Strauss: "Die Frau ohne Schatten" Decca Domingo/Varady/Runkel/van Dam/Behrens/Jo/Lind 436 243-2 Solti/Vienna State Opera Chorus/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra