"Cantabile" recital at the magnificent Stiftskirche Goettweig

What could possibly top this morning's concert experience for the Phoenix Girls Chorus' prime ensemble "Cantabile"? Could any church be as stunning as the Stiftskirche Duernstein with its blue steeple? The answer is yes and that's why the 31 talented girls from Arizona will be singing twice on Monday, June 18 as part of their Incantato Performance Tour to Germany and Austria. The second venue differs in color, now the church exterior is pretty in pink and white, but Stiftskirche Goettweig offers equal beauty in both looks and acoustics. The recital at the Benedictine Abbey starts at 5:30 pm local time and will be a sung Dankeschoen to the congregation of monks that are working and living at the abbey as well as visitors. It will also be a home concert for PGC in a way, as the girls are staying at the dormitory of the Abbey for yet another night - a special dinner awaits them after the performance at the gourmet restaurant which also features a stunning panoramic terrace overlooking the UNESCO world heritage are of the Danube Valley.

Here's a little background info:
The abbey, situated on the Göttweig Mountain, is - because of its location - sometimes called the Austrian Montecassino. The Monastery, founded in 1083 by Saint Altmann, sits on a hill 449 m above sea level in the Dunkelsteiner Forest south of the city of Krems, on the eastern edge of the world-famous Danube Valley called the Wachau. With the Wachau, Göttweig was in 2001 placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. And today, PGC will be performing in the prestigious Stiftskirche pictured below.

At first, Augustines worked here, to be followed in 1094 by Benedictine monks from the Monastery of St. Blasien in the Black Forest. The Benedictines have been living, learning and teaching on Göttweig Mountain for more than 900 years. The goal of their life is to glorify God in prayer and work according to the Rule of their Order’s founder, Saint Benedict, the Patron Saint of Europe. Currently 54 monks belong to the monastic community. More than 30 of them give pastoral care to parishioners and pilgrims in the Dioceses of Vienna and St. Pölten. Forestry and viticulture have been the economic basis of the Monastery since it was founded - today completed by various touristic and economic efforts.