Hausmusik Roas: Counter & Strings 2.0

Countertenor” is a voice usually associated with heroic roles in operas by Handel, with Bach passions, and indeed with Baroque music in historically informed performance practice, but much less with lieder or folk music. In rock and pop music, men often sing in this high register, but with a completely different vocal technique. Alois Mühlbacher, who already caused a sensation as soloist of the St. Florian Boys’ Choir with cross-border recordings, also shows as an adult countertenor that he has extraordinary things to offer in all styles. He is an internationally sought-after soloist in the field of baroque music in opera and concert, but also gives recitals with romantic and modern repertoire. Even as a child, he gave concerts with outstanding folk music ensembles and thus learned the tradition of “real” folk music at first hand, so to speak. Since its foundation in 1997, the Upper Austrian “Spring String Quartet” has been one of the leading jazz-rock-classical-crossover string quartets in Europe, shattering all common “violin music” clichés and redefining the artistic expression of the classical string quartet. Together with Alois Mühlbacher, the ensemble produced a highly acclaimed music video two years ago: the Queen song “Don’t stop me now” (in an ingenious arrangement by Georg Wiesinger with Mozart music). This success led to an artistic friendship, which already delighted audiences and critics last year in a concert performance of “Counter & Strings” with a wide-ranging programme from baroque music to Gustav Mahler and Hubert von Goisern. This year, too, there will be programmatic surprises in this unusual sound constellation. With the kind support of Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg, Greiner AG, Oberbank AG, Stillsegler GmbH, Umdasch Group AG