Salzburg Choral Festival
Jubilate Mozart
july 2 – 6, 2025
The Salzburg Choral Festival, Jubilate Mozart!, will take place in Salzburg, Austria from July 2 – 6, 2025. The festival will feature a large chorus consisting of mixed voice choirs from across North America. Three days of festival rehearsals, mingling side-by-side with singers from a variety of backgrounds will lead festival participants to a grand finale concert in the historic and stunning Salzburger Dom.
The 2025 festival will be led under the direction of Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe, Chair of the Thornton School of Music’s Department of Choral and Sacred Music at the University of Southern California.
János Czifra, Domkapellmeister, will conduct Mozart’s Mass in C Major, “Coronation,” KV 317, accompanied by the Salzburger Domorchester.
Salzburg Dom
The Salzburg Cathedral – in German, the Salzburger Dom – is a 17th century baroque cathedral dedicated to Saint Rupert of Salzburg. The site occupied by the Salzburg Cathedral was probably a sacred place for sacrifices in Celtic as well as Roman times. The first cathedral was built under Saint Vergil of Salzburg, who might have used foundations by St. Rupert. The first Dom was recorded in 774. The finished church is 466 feet long and 109 feet high at the crossing/dome. The baroque style of St. Rupert’s can be seen in the choir and the nave.
Among the precious objects to be found in Salzburg’s Cathedral are the baptismal font in which Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was baptized, the majestic main organ, surrounded by angels playing instruments and crowned by Rupert and Virgil, as well as the magnificent Cathedral portals made by Scheider-Manzell, Mataré and Manzú.
TOUR 1
Festival Tour Itinerary
The Festival Itinerary for the Salzburg Choral Festival. Arrive at Munich Airport and transfer to nearby Salzburg, where rehearsals are interspersed with time to visit the major sites of the city and Mozart’s heritage. These include Mirabell Palace and Gardens, Mozart Square, the Dom, the University Church, entrance to the Mozarthaus, a cable car ride up to the Fortress for an unparalleled view of the city below, Schloß Leopoldskron — featured in The Sound of Music — and entrance to Schloß Hellbrunn, whose gazebo was also featured in The Sound of Music and whose trick fountains have entertained guests for centuries. Participate in the grand finale Mozart Festival performance in the Dom.
TOUR 2
Vienna – Add Two Nights
Following the festival, you have the option to sing/participate as special guests in Sunday Mass at the Salzburger Dom. Transfer to Vienna via the world-famous Melk Abbey, with a short recital in the Abbey. Arrive in Vienna and tour Historical Vienna including the Ringstráße, Imperial Palace, State Opera, Town Hall, Burgkapelle, Palace Stables, Strauß Monument, and entrance to Schönbrunn Palace, built by the Hapsburgs in imitation of Versailles. Evening Concert in Vienna. Farewell dinner and depart for home.
Tour 3
Munich and Heidelberg – Add Three Nights
Following the festival, transfer to Munich via Neuschwanstein Castle, including uphill transport and entrance to the castle. Take a guided tour of Munich, including a visit to the Hofbräuhaus, the English Gardens, and entrance to Nymphenburg Palace. Take an excursion to Dachau to visit the former Nazi concentration camp, and view a documentary film (in English) about the camp and its liberation. Evening concert in Munich. Transfer to Heidelberg for a half-day tour of Germany’s oldest university town includes entrance to the Schloß, offering a splendid view of the city beneath. In the castle, see the Great Barrel, the Courtyard and the Pharmaceutical Museum. Also, see the old university itself, the Cathedral of the Holy Ghost, the Old Bridge, and the Jesuit Church. Farewell dinner and depart for home.
TOUR 4
Vienna and Prague – Add Four Nights
Following the festival, transfer to Vienna via the world-famous Melk Abbey, with a short recital in the Abbey. Arrive in Vienna and tour Historical Vienna including the Ringstráße, Imperial Palace, State Opera, Town Hall, Burgkapelle, Palace Stables, Strauß Monument, and entrance to Schönbrunn Palace, built by the Hapsburgs in imitation of Versailles. Evening Concert in Vienna. Take a half-day guided tour of Musical Vienna includes entrance to the Haus der Musik, a modern interactive sound museum located in the historic city center. This tour also includes the Museum of the Vienna Philharmonic. Transfer to Prague. Evening concert in Prague. Farewell dinner and depart for home.
TOUR 5
Vienna, Eisenstadt, and Budapest
Transfer to Vienna via the world-famous Melk Abbey, with a short recital in the Abbey. Arrive in Vienna and tour Historical Vienna including the Ringstráße, Imperial Palace, State Opera, Town Hall, Burgkapelle, Palace Stables, Strauß Monument, and entrance to Schönbrunn Palace, built by the Hapsburgs in imitation of Versailles. Evening Concert in Vienna. Transfer to Budapest via Eisenstadt, home to Haydn for many decades. Entrance is included to Esterházy Palace with its Haydnsaal, where many of Haydn’s works were premiered, Haydn Church to see his mausoleum, and also to Haydn’s House, which is now a museum. Arrive in Budapest and take a guided tour including the Parliament, Chain Bridge, Royal Castle Hill, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Matthias Church, Fisherman’s Bastion, and the picturesque streets of Táncsis Mihály utca, Uri utca and Fortuna utca, which feature splendid examples of medieval houses and Baroque mansions. Evening concert in Budapest. Farewell dinner and depart for home.