Adventskonzert / Christmas Concert – Männerchor Neustift with Stiftschor

An Advent concert in the heart of Novacella

The Adventskonzert of the Männerchor Neustift is one of the most anticipated musical events of the Christmas season in the municipality of Varna (Vahrn), in the province of Bolzano, South Tyrol. The concert takes place in the extraordinary setting of the Monastery Basilica of Novacella (Stiftsbasilika Neustift), a jewel of South Tyrolean religious architecture founded in 1142 and still home to a community of Augustinian canons. The frescoed vaults and the acoustics of the basilica turn every piece into an intimate and solemn experience, perfect for ushering in the Advent season.

The Männerchor Neustift

The Männerchor Neustift, the male choir of Novacella, was founded in 1959 by a group of singers trained at the school of Josef Gasser, the monastery's music master between 1922 and 1957. Today, the ensemble consists of about forty singers, divided into first and second tenors and first and second basses, and has been directed since 2019 by Benedikt Baldauf, a musician trained at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and specialized in sacred music. The choir's repertoire ranges from traditional Tyrolean folk songs to the most demanding pieces of choral literature, with a special focus on works related to the liturgy and Advent traditions.

The program and guest choirs

The Advent concert alternates between sacred songs, traditional South Tyrolean Christmas melodies, and broader choral works. In various editions, the Männerchor Neustift performs together with the Stiftschor, the monastery choir, or invites choirs from neighboring parishes such as Elvas and Sciaves (Schabs), creating moments of shared singing under the naves of the basilica. The intimate atmosphere, the candlelight, and the meditative repertoire make this event a true prelude to Christmas in the Isarco Valley.

A South Tyrolean Advent tradition

The Adventskonzert is part of a busy season of events that the choir brings to life every December, from the morning Rorate masses in the Stiftskirche to performances at local Christmas markets, such as the one in Bressanone. Attending the concert means experiencing one of the most authentic expressions of South Tyrol's choral culture in one of the most significant spiritual and artistic sites in the province of Bolzano.