Open To The World ’25: Rundfunkchor Berlin and its immersive “human requiem” in Vilnius!
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience: For the first time in the Baltics, witness the immersive masterpiece “human requiem,” performed by the world-renowned Rundfunkchor Berlin – celebrating 100 years of choral excellence!
As part of the unique Open To The World festival, ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius presents an extraordinary experience. For the first time in Lithuania, the legendary, one of the world’s best professional choirs, three-time Grammy-winning Rundfunkchor Berlin (Berlin Radio Choir), will perform live, bringing their internationally acclaimed immersive performance “human requiem.”
The performance will take place over two consecutive evenings – November 21 and 22, at 7:00 PM, in the LITEXPO Hall, which will be transformed into a concert space for this remarkable occasion.
“human requiem” is a staged interpretation of Johannes Brahms’ A German Requiem – a bold example of musical innovation that transcends classical music’s traditional boundaries and invites audiences into a deeply emotional and transformative experience.
Before returning to its home venue, Radialsystem V in Berlin, “human requiem’s” debut in Vilnius marks a historic event – the Berlin Radio Choir’s first-ever performance in the Baltics in its century-long history. The production is not only a centerpiece of the Open To The World ’25 festival, which brings together choral leaders from across the globe – it also exemplifies musical innovation and fosters cultural dialogue between Germany and Lithuania.
human requiem: Music Up Close and Personal
With “human requiem”, the Berlin Radio Choir opens a new dimension of musical experience. There is no stage, no fixed seating, no barrier between performers and audience. The public becomes an inseparable part of the shared experience – listeners no longer sit in front of the sound, but are immersed directly within it. At the heart of it all are the human presence, emotional connection, and intimacy. This creates new relationships between text, bodies, performers, audience, space, and sound.
For this reason, each performance is limited to only 500 attendees – ensuring an intimate and personal atmosphere.
“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Director Jochen Sandig takes Brahms’ Requiem by its word. The performers’ physical closeness to the audience becomes a profound act of communion, allowing the message of humanity to be received not only with the mind, but through emotion and the senses. In this shared circle of performers and listeners, a deeply personal event unfolds – a “human requiem.”
In an oft-cited letter to the conductor Carl Reinthaler, Brahms wrote in 1867: “As regards the text, I must confess that I would gladly leave off the ‘German’ and replace it simply with ‘human’.”
Today, this work feels more relevant than ever. In the face of the immense suffering caused by wars and global crises, the human longing for consolation is profound. Brahms’ Requiem is not a funeral mass, but a work of solace – written not for the dead, but for the living.
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Evening in Vilnius
“human requiem” was conceived by Jochen Sandig in collaboration with the renowned dance company “Sasha Waltz & Guests”. It is part of the choir’s interdisciplinary performance series, which explores innovative formats and new ways of engaging with audiences. Since its 2012 premiere, the production has toured internationally with performances in New York, Hong Kong, Paris, Athens, Brussels, Amsterdam, Granada, and Adelaide.
The production has earned significant recognition, including a place on The New York Times’ “Best Classical Music” list in 2016 and the Classical:NEXT Innovation Award.
Founded in 1925, the Berlin Radio Choir is one of the world’s foremost professional choirs. The ensemble performs over 60 concerts annually and maintains active collaborations with leading conductors, including Kirill Petrenko, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Simon Rattle, and Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
It regularly performs with prestigious orchestras including the Berliner Philharmoniker, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. The choir has received multiple international honors, including three Grammy Awards.
Artists & Performers
Johannes Brahms’ “Ein deutsches Requiem” for soloists, mixed choir, and four-hand piano, arranged by Phillip Moll based on Brahms’ original transcription.
Choir: Rundfunkchor Berlin (Berlin Radio Choir).
Conductor: Gijs Leenaars.
Soloists: Victoria Randem (soprano), Ansgar Theis (baritone).
Pianists: Angela Gassenhuber, Philip Mayers.
Production Team
Director: Jochen Sandig.
Choreography and Dramaturgy: Dance company Sasha Waltz.
Artistic Collaboration: Ilka Seifert, Virgis Puodžiūnas.
Set Design: Brad Hwang.
Lighting Design: Jörg Bittner.
Stage Management: Kristin Hörnig.
Performance Producers in Lithuania: Rachel-Sophia Dries (Rundfunkchor Berlin), Audrius Valatkevičius (ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius).
Technical Implementation Partners in Lithuania: Event Technical Production Company Delegatai. Project Leader: Martynas Vaitkevičius.
Attention, audience:
Attendance for “human requiem” is limited to 500 spectators. You will not only observe, but become active participants – sharing the same space as the performers.
To preserve the immersive experience, the use of mobile phones is strictly prohibited throughout the event.
In keeping with the concept of “human requiem”, which emphasizes equality between performers and audience, you will be asked to remove your shoes before entering the performance space. We kindly ask that you wear clean, warm socks to ensure a comfortable experience.
Sponsors & Partners
Open To The World 2025
ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius’ Open To The World Festival is a unique vocal-choir music project in Lithuania that has become a cherished tradition. It aims to showcase unique modern content and the world’s finest choirs, vocal ensembles, and composers. The festival promotes cultural and choral music innovation and fosters cooperation between Lithuanian and international musicians. It also serves as a platform to nurture Western culture, create music, and grow together.
Born in 2018, Open To The World will feature six concerts this year, bringing together more than 300 singers and musicians. The lineup includes one of the world’s leading professional choirs – the three-time Grammy-winning Berlin Radio Choir – performing their acclaimed immersive production “human requiem”; Sweden’s top male choir Zero8 and vocal ensembles Ringmasters and the 2024 World Barbershop Champions, Lemon Squeezy; the leading male choir from Spain’s Basque Country, Suhar Korua; soloist Jamal Moore (US); the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra; Lithuania’s finest boys’ choir Dagilėlis; and others.
The festival is sponsored by engineering, prefab, and construction company INHUS; the Business Garden Vilnius office park developed by Vastint Lithuania; the largest logistics and industrial property developer in the Baltic States, SIRIN Development; the Lithuanian Council for Culture; and the Vilnius City Municipality. LRT TV is the information partner, and Ogilvy is the advertising partner.
Sponsors and partners of the Berlin Radio Choir’s special performance “human requiem” include the Embassy of Germany in Vilnius, the Goethe-Institut Lithuania, LIDL Lietuva, Allianz Lietuva, and SAP Lietuva.