Led by founder Konstantin Hiller and concertmaster Dimitris Karakantas, the following musicians bring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to life night after night at Vienna’s St. Charles Church:
Musicians & Instruments
The People
Behind the Music
We all know it: the whole is always more than the sum of its parts. When everything aligns, when every element is in harmony, something greater emerges — that elusive magic. From the very first note, our musicians become one with the music — a finely tuned mechanism of harmony. Meet the people and instruments that bring Vivaldi’s masterpieces to life.
Musicians
Alois Mühlbacher
Alois Mühlbacher, an internationally successful countertenor, made his debut at the Vienna State Opera at age 15. He has performed worldwide, including at the opening gala of the Vladivostok Opera House and the New Year’s concert with the Mozarteum Orchestra.
He has appeared in significant productions such as Telemann’s Pastorelle en musique and Caldara’s Assalonne. With the Ensemble Ars Antiqua Austria, he has given numerous concerts and recorded several CDs. Recently, he made his debut at the Landestheater Linz and is currently performing in Handel’s Rinaldo.
His CD Urlicht received critical acclaim. Mühlbacher lives in Vienna and London and is pursuing his Master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music.
Konzerte
Barbara De Menezes Galante
Barbara de Menezes Galante was born in 1990 in São Paulo, Brazil, into a family of musicians. She began studying the violin at the age of six and, in 2009, she accepted an invitation to pursue a bachelor’s degree at the Mozarteum University Salzburg. Afterwards, she moved to the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MDW), where she completed her academic training, graduating as Magistra Artium.
Chamber music has always been a central part of Barbara’s musical journey. In the same year she moved to Austria, she became a member of the international ensemble Salzburg Chamber Soloists. With this group, she has performed in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. She was also invited by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to join the Ossiach Orchestra Academy.
In 2014, Barbara received the Eleazar de Carvalho Prize, the most prestigious award for classical musicians in Brazil. Since then, she has been regularly invited as a soloist and lecturer at various institutions, as well as to serve as concertmaster in major Brazilian symphony orchestras.
Barbara is currently a professor of violin and chamber music at the Friedrich Gulda School of Music in Vienna.
Konzerte
Bettina Simon
The soprano, Baroque oboist, and recorder player Bettina Simon, born in Hungary, quickly established herself as one of the most versatile artists of her generation.
Bettina Simon made her vocal debut at the Tonhalle Zurich with conductor and recorder player Maurice Steger. She debuted at the Wiener Konzerthaus in N. Porpora’s oratorio David e Bersabea and performed the roles of “Papagena” and “First Lady” in W. A. Mozart’s The Magic Flute at the Herrenchiemsee Festival, at the Konzerthaus Blaibach, and at the Parktheater Augsburg.
Throughout her musical career, she has collaborated with renowned Baroque orchestras on the international stage, including La Cetra Baroque Orchestra, Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Ensemble Matheus, {oh!} Orkiestra Historyczna, Capella Cracoviensis, Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra, among others.
Bettina Simon regularly performs as a soloist with the “Orchester 1756,” where she presents programs that combine singing with performances on the Baroque oboe and recorder.
Since 2022, Bettina Simon has been teaching Baroque oboe at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne, Germany.
She is also currently pursuing an artistic-academic doctoral degree at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Konzerte
Dimitris Karakantas
Dimitris Karakantas, born in 1987 in Larissa, Greece, graduated from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and currently studies Baroque violin at the Hochschule für Musik “Franz Liszt” in Weimar. He also pursued a sound engineering degree at the University of Music Vienna.
He is a prizewinner of several national competitions in Greece and Cyprus, and won the Grand Prix and Audience Prize at the International Festival for Young Musicians in Chișinău, Moldova.
Karakantas performs extensively in Greece and internationally, including in Austria, France, Germany, and Taiwan. He has played as a soloist and chamber musician in major venues like the Musikverein in Vienna and the Megaron in Thessaloniki.
He was a scholarship recipient from the Greek Society of Music Friends and the Greek National Scholarship Foundation.
Konzerte
Jenny Lippl
Jenny Lippl, born in Vienna, is a highly versatile violinist. She performs as a chamber musician, soloist, and concertmaster in major venues worldwide, including the Vienna Musikverein, Tonhalle Zurich, and La Seine Musicale Paris.
She is a member of Concentus Musicus and concertmaster of Ensemble Continuum Wien, and frequently leads baroque opera projects. At Orchestra 1756, she has been a long-time concertmaster and soloist.
Her trio Klavis, featuring violin, saxophone, and piano, tours Europe, Asia, and Africa. She also collaborates with silent film narrator Ralph Turnheim for live film scores.
Lippl studied violin with Ernst Kovacic, historical performance with Stefan Gottfried, and baroque violin with Hiro Kurosaki at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.
Konzerte
Konstantin Hiller
Konstantin Hiller, born in Bavaria, lives and works in Salzburg. After studying in Salzburg and Vienna with a focus on Baroque and Early Classical music, he has been the artistic director of the Salzburger Konzertgesellschaft since 1992. In 2006, he founded the “Orchester 1756” and in 2012 the choir “Cantus XVII”. Since 2016, he has been leading the “SchlossKonzerteMirabell”.
Hiller is dedicated exclusively to historical performances and has performed operas as well as large oratorios and sacred works. He has released numerous CDs and collaborated with artists such as Giuliano Carmignola and Christophe Coin.
Konzerte
Marelize Gerber
Marelize Gerber is a renowned interpreter of early music and works by Mozart. She regularly performs at international festivals and in prestigious concert halls such as the Vienna Musikverein and Tokyo City Opera Hall.
In 2023, she made her debut at the Salzburg Festival and the Handel Festival in Halle. She is a co-founder of the baroque ensemble Capella Imperialis and has sung numerous opera and oratorio roles across Europe.
The South African-born soprano lives in Vienna and holds a Master’s degree in Music. Her discography includes recordings for SONY MUSIC and Oehms Classics.
Konzerte
Nicholas Spanos
Nicholas Spanos studied singing with Aris Christofellis in Greece and continued his education at the University of Maryland (USA) with Linda Mabbs. In 2013, he completed a postgraduate degree in Song and Oratorio at mdw and participated in masterclasses with notable teachers.
He has collaborated with ensembles and orchestras such as the Venice Baroque Orchestra, Les Talens Lyriques, Camerata Stuttgart, and Orchestra 1756 Salzburg. Additionally, he has performed with the Greek National Opera, the Megaron in Athens, and various chamber ensembles in Europe and the USA.
Spanos received the “Best Young Artist of the Year” award in 2002 and first prize at the Thessaloniki Artists’ Association TECHNI singing competition in 2006. He has worked for years with Ex Silentio, Latinitas nostra, and the Pandolfis Consort in Vienna and has released several CDs.
Konzerte
Our
Instruments
At our concerts, we perform exclusively on historical instruments. Only these allow us to produce an authentic sound that stays true to Vivaldi’s era. Typical of the Baroque period (ca. 1600–1750), these instruments have distinct characteristics that set them apart from their modern counterparts.
Historical Performance Practice with Original Instruments: A Closer Look at Vivaldi, String Instruments, and the Harpsichord
Historical performance practice is a fascinating field that explores how music from past eras was originally performed — often using period instruments or faithful reproductions. Especially in the Baroque period, a time known for its intricate soundscapes and distinctive instrumentation, original instruments play a crucial role.
A prime example of this approach is the music of Antonio Vivaldi, one of the most iconic composers of the Baroque era. A celebrated violinist and composer, Vivaldi wrote numerous concertos that place the violin center stage. Performing his works historically not only requires the use of Baroque violins, but also an understanding of the specific playing techniques of the time. Compared to modern violins, Baroque violins are lighter and produce a warmer, less brilliant tone — a quality that enhances the expressive, fast-paced passages so characteristic of Vivaldi’s music.
The harpsichord, commonly used as a continuo instrument in Baroque ensembles, also plays a central role in historical performance. Unlike the modern piano, the harpsichord produces a clearer, more immediate sound, which allows for crisp articulation and rhythmic precision. Together with the string instruments, the harpsichord forms the backbone of the basso continuo — an improvised bass line that provides harmonic structure to the ensemble.
Returning to historical instruments and performance practices allows us to hear Vivaldi’s music much as he himself might have heard it — with the instruments he composed for and the sound aesthetic of his time. This not only creates a richer listening experience but also offers deeper insight into the musical language and thinking of the Baroque era.
Book Your Concert Experience!
Want to experience the harmony and sound of our orchestra for yourself and immerse yourself in the world of Antonio Vivaldi? Then secure your ticket today for a truly unforgettable concert experience!