For 120 years now, the Berlin Oratorio Choir (BOC) has stood for innovatively designed programs and high artistic standards. On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, it will take its audience on a deeply touching musical journey with Edward Elgar's monumental oratorio "The Dream of Gerontius" (“Der Traum des Gerontius”).

The masterpiece, premiered in 1900, tells the story of the soul of the dying Gerontius, who is guided after death through Heaven, Purgatory, and Divine Judgment. Elgar created here music of overwhelming emotional power: from the desperate prayers of the dying man to the triumphant choruses of angels, to the shocking moments of divine encounter. The dramatic orchestral sounds, the poignant solo parts, and the powerful choir passages merge into a total work of art that one cannot shake off.

Performers include the soloists Helena Köhne (soprano), Hans-Georg Priese (tenor), Haakon Schaub (bass), the Berlin Oratorio Choir, The English Choir Berlin (conductor: William Peart), William Peart (organ), and the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt (BSOF) under the direction of conductor Thomas Hennig.

The concert begins at 8 PM in the Main Hall of the Philharmonie Berlin, tickets from 19 Euros to 45 Euros (plus additional costs if applicable) are available at Reservix, at well-known advance booking offices or via the ticket phone 0761 88 84 99 99 (Reservix).

The Berlin Oratorio Choir – one of the oldest amateur choirs in the city

Since its founding in 1904, the Berlin Oratorio Choir – then still called the Berlin Volks-Chor – has made it its mission to perform both popular and lesser-known works of choral symphony to bring them closer to a larger audience. This type of repertoire is probably the most elaborate form of choral music, as it requires not only a large choir but also an orchestra, which in turn requires a sufficiently large stage and correspondingly many seats for the paying audience. This means that each performance of the Berlin Oratorio Choir is associated with significant organizational and financial effort. Regular self-organized performances take place in the Berlin Philharmonie and the Konzerthaus Berlin - in addition to numerous collaborations and guest performances. Between 1958 and 2008, the choir established itself in the Berlin music scene under the direction of Gert Sell and was awarded the Zelter Plaque in 2004 for the promotion of choral music. In 2008, Thomas Hennig took over the artistic direction. With innovatively designed programs and high artistic standards, the choir remains a pioneering institution. The choir currently consists of about 80 active members from various backgrounds and generations.