By Tony DeGol
Proclaim!
One of the most treasured sites in Altoona – both spiritually and architecturally – is getting ready to welcome back some of the world’s most legendary musicians.
The Vienna Boys Choir will return to the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on March 14 at 7:00 p.m.
“Like other Cathedrals around the world, our Altoona Cathedral has a cherished history of welcoming local Catholics for worship, but also a rich tradition of welcoming the wider community to celebrate the arts and give thanks to God for the gift of beautiful and sacred music,” explained Cathedral Music Director Leslie Thayer.
This upcoming performance, Thayer added, carries on that tradition in spectacular fashion.
For Thayer, who is organizing the upcoming visit, this is the second opportunity to roll out the welcome mat for the group.
The Vienna Boys Choir performed at the Cathedral in October of 2019 in front of a standing-room only crowd.
“It was a magnificent night,” recalled Thayer.
Just like the 2019 performance, the March 14 performance will be free and open to the public.
“All are welcome at our beautiful Cathedral to experience the blessing of the Vienna Boys Choir,” Thayer assured.
Unlike last time, however, tickets will be required for admission.
Free tickets will be available after all weekend Masses at the Cathedral after all weekend Masses (Saturdays at 5:00 p.m. and Sundays at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 5:00 p.m.) or weekdays between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Cathedral parish office on 13th Avenue.
Each individual may receive no more than four tickets. All tickets must be picked up ahead of time, not at the door on the evening of the performance.
“A limited number of general admission tickets are available, so we are encouraging people to secure their tickets as soon as possible,” Thayer mentioned.
The Vienna Boys Choir is one of the oldest and most famous choirs in the world.
The 100 boy choristers – between the ages of nine and 14 – are divided into four choirs. Among them, the choirs give around 300 concerts each year, attended by almost half a million spectators around the world.
Since 1924, the boys have sung over 1,000 tours in 100 different countries, resulting in 29,000 performances.
