A glittering Advent moment: Christmas gala in Münster comes to television

With a sold-out Christmas gala on December 10, 2025, the Lake Constance Philharmonic Orchestra marked a festive highlight of the Advent season. On this evening, Münster Cathedral in Konstanz became an atmospheric sound space for great opera voices, choir, and orchestra—carried by the special atmosphere of the historic sacred building.

The focus was on the internationally acclaimed opera stars Cassandre Berthon and Ludovic Tézier, whose musical connection was as moving as their joint performances. The program included works by Vivaldi, Handel, and Mendelssohn Bartholdy, complemented by traditional Christmas carols for the audience to sing along to. Also participating were the youth choir of the cathedral under the direction of Markus Mackowiak and the Lake Constance Philharmonic Orchestra under principal conductor Gabriel Venzago.

This was the first time that a Christmas concert by the Lake Constance Philharmonic Orchestra was recorded by SWR. Anyone who would like to relive the evening or discover it for the first time will have several opportunities to do so in the coming days:

Broadcast dates:

• Sat, Dec. 20, 3:00 p.m. – Medici.tv

• Sun, Dec. 21, 11:00 a.m. – SWR Kultur, Kultur-Matinee

• Sun, Dec. 21, 6:15 p.m. – ARD, So klingt Weihnachten

• Wed, Dec. 24, 12:30 p.m. – SWR Kultur Radio

• Wed, Dec. 24, 5:15 p.m. – ARD-alpha

A festive concert evening that shines beyond Constance – and lets Christmas linger musically.

Photo: Ilja Mess