Phoenix Girls Chorus concert in Duernstein was "wunderbar"

"Cantabile" from PGC surely took the audience in the charming town of Duernstein by storm on Monday morning. Prior to exploring this quaint village situated on the banks of the Danube where Richard the Lionhart once has been imprisoned, the choir presented a concert at the beautiful Stiftskirche on Monday, June 18, 2012 at 11 am. And the singers under the direction of Ms. Danya Tiller surely enchanted the audience. With students from the nearby elementary school and many other locals, almost all benches were filled. "Our posters were everywhere", commented one of the girls. "The guests didn't want to let the girls leave", reported Incantato Jr. Tour Manager Crista Hartenstein.

Find out some interesting facts about this historic village: in 1372, at the place of today's monastery, a chapel was founded. Dürnstein Monastery was established in 1410  and from 1710 rebuilt in a Baroque style according to plans by architects Joseph Munggenast, Jakob Prandtauer and Matthias Steinl. The monastery was dissolved by order of Emperor Joseph II in 1788 and fell to the Herzogenburg Priory. During the War of the Third Coalition the Battle of Dürenstein was fought nearby on November 11, 1805. The town of Dürnstein is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area. While strolling through the narrow streets you will be able to taste homemade recipes made of "Marillen" which the Wachau is also very famous for. "Marillen" is how they call a special sort of apricots. The municipality consists of the Katastralgemeinden Dürnstein, Oberloiben and Unterloiben. The town gained its name from the medieval castle which overlooked it. The castle was called "Duerrstein" or "Dürrstein", from the German duerr/dürr meaning "dry" and Stein,"stone". The castle was dry because it was situated on a rocky hill, high above the damp conditions of the Danube at the base of the hill, and it was built of stone. Dürnstein was first mentioned in 1192, when, in the castle above the town, King Richard I Lionheart of England was held captive by Duke Leopold V of Austria after their dispute during the Third Crusade. Richard had personally offended Leopold by casting down his standard from the walls at the Battle of Acre, and the duke suspected that King Richard ordered the murder of his cousin Conrad of Montferrat in Jerusalem. In consequence Pope Celestine III excommunicated Leopold for capturing a fellow crusader. The duke finally gave the custody of Richard to Emperor Henry VI, who imprisoned Richard at Trifels Castle. Dürnstein Castle was almost completely destroyed by the troops of the Swedish Empire under Field Marshal Lennart Torstenson in 1645.