Open To The World ’25: SUHAR Korua & ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius
Two Choirs, One Night: A Harmonious Prelude to the Holiday Season. For the first time in Lithuania, the acclaimed Spanish male choir SUHAR Korua performed in Vilnius
As part of the unique Open To The World festival, ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius presents exceptional content and a memorable concert experience. This time, the spotlight fell on SUHAR Korua, widely regarded as one of the country’s premier male vocal ensembles, originating from the culturally rich and musically vibrant Basque Country of Spain.
On November 30, 2025, the two choirs joined forces at St. Catherine’s Church for a festive concert program that blended contemporary choral music with passionate Basque compositions and seasonal holiday works.
Founded in 2018, SUHAR Korua has earned acclaim for its impeccable vocal quality, diverse repertoire, and emotionally compelling performances. Rooted in the deep choral traditions of the Basque Country, the ensemble fuses regional musical temperament with a modern sonic palette.
The choir actively performs across Spain and internationally, regularly appearing at prestigious festivals and competitions. In 2023, SUHAR Korua won first prize at the renowned Tolosa Choral Contest, a victory that secured their place in the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing – one of the world’s most significant choral competitions.
New Friends from Basque Country
In Vilnius, SUHAR Korua presented its latest program – a harmonious blend of contemporary choral works, spirited Basque pieces, and evocative Christmas music. The performance also incorporated subtle choreography, creating a captivating stage presence.
The ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius also unveiled a brand-new program, staying true to its passion for modern choral music and fresh interpretations of popular songs rarely heard in Lithuania. The choir performed pieces arranged especially for the Open To The World festival by Blake Morgan, tenor of the British vocal ensemble VOCES8, and a close friend of the choir.
Thanks to Morgan’s artistry, classics such as The Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There”, the gospel hymn “Shall We Gather at the River”, and the Scottish ballad “Caledonia” were reimagined with vocal elegance, emotional depth, and unexpected harmonic twists.
To close the evening, SUHAR Korua and ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius presented several joint pieces, including Morten Lauridsen’s choral masterpiece “O Magnum Mysterium”. Described by critics as “a pure, mystical choral meditation,” the work is celebrated for its expansive harmonies and gentle simplicity, creating a luminous, transcendent serenity.
ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius
Štai Čia Šviesa
Deividas Edas Kukta
Cloudburst
Eric Whitacre
Caledonia
Dougie MacLean | arr. Blake Morgan
I’ll Be There
The Jackson 5 | arr. Blake Morgan
Shall We Gather at the River
Robert Lowry | arr. Blake Morgan
Kanaval
Sydney Guillaume
Jingle Bells Calypso
Leo M. Tellep & J. Pierpont
The Circle of Life
Elton John | arr. André van der Merwe
SUHAR Korua
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel | arr. Håkan Sund
Gone Home
Arr. John Wykoff
Nunc Dimittis
Albert Alcaraz
Sanctus
Sven-David Sandström
Goizeko Izarra
José Juan Santesteban
Sorgin Dantza
Eduardo Mocoroa
Ipar Haize Hotz Zuria
Xabier Sarasola
Wana Baraka
Trad. | arr. Shawn Kirchner
La Cucaracha
Arr.: Robert Sund
O Magnum Mysterium
Morten Lauridsen
Artists & Production Team
SUHAR Korua (ES). Artistic Director and Conductor: Esteban Urzelai.
ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius (LT). Artistic Director and Conductor: Milda Švelnienė.
Deividas Edas Kukta – Electronics.
Percussion Ensemble.
Concert Producers: Audrius Valatkevičius (ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius), Esteban Urzelai (SUHAR Korua).
Concert Sound: Giedrius Ūsas – Sound Director.
Lighting & Stage Design: Delegatai – Event Technical Production Company. Lighting Director & Operator: Povilas Varonenka (FadersUp.Live).
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.