Austrian Musicians Dazzle Audience in Washington, D.C.

On September 18, 2026, Washington, D.C. residents got a taste of the Vienna State Opera and fine Austrian wine at “Music for Awhile,” a concert hosted by the Austrian Cultural Forum.

The grand central hall of the Embassy of Austria was packed with a full audience eager to hear the famous Upper Austrian countertenor Alois Mühlbacher sing arias across the history of music while accompanied on piano by the eminent pianist Elias Gillesberger.

Mühlbacher debuted at the Vienna State Opera at age 15 and has performed at the Zurich Opera House, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris and La Scala in Milan. As a countertenor, he has mastered a singing technique that allows him to cover high vocal ranges that are impossible for many male singers to reach.

Mühlbacher demonstrated his versatility by performing works from a wide variety of composers, including Georg Friedrich Händel, Antonio Vivaldi, Henry Purcell, Franz Schubert, Matthias Drievko and Gustav Mahler.

Throughout the performance, Mühlbacher demonstrated not only passion for his art but superior focus on his control, range and technique without losing the impression of effortlessness.

Gillesberger, who is also a native of Upper Austria, delivered a commanding presence on piano and a remarkable ability to capture both the power and sensitivity of pieces while accompanying vocals.

The fluid dynamic between the pair was particularly evident during their rendition of Händel’s aria “Con rauco mormorio” from his 1725 opera Rodelinda, which gave the impression of a spontaneous conversation between piano and voice.

The duo’s flawless rendition of Drievko’s stormy composition, “Mein süßes Lieb,” was arguably the climax of the evening. This musical interpretation of the famous heartbreaking love poem penned in 1822 by notable German poet Heinrich Heine was a complex, tormented melody with piercing notes and thundering accents on the piano. The pair brought this emotionally turbulent piece to life in grand style.

Gillesberger also moved the audience with thoughtful piano solos. His interpretation of Anton Bruckner’s piece Erinnerung, WAB 117 was bright and vivacious. He made the melody more uplifting by sharing a story with the audience about his personal appreciation for Bruckner, who hailed from his native region of Upper Austria, and about visiting the Brucknerhaus concert hall in Linz with his parents before beginning his musical career.

The finale, Mahler’s “Um Mitternacht,” prompted a standing ovation and thunderous applause from the audience that persisted so long after the musicians had left the stage that they returned for a second bow.

Afterwards, attendees experienced the finest traditions of Austrian wine at a reception. Organizers provided Steininger wine, chilled to perfection, with the Grüner Veltliner variety being an appreciable standout. The wine was a refreshing, crisp and elegant type of Grüner Veltliner, which is made from pure white wine grapes native to Austria.

This well-received recital brought a highlight of Austrian culture to Washington, D.C. and will be followed by similar cultural offerings throughout the fall.