They have become a permanent fixture in the festival's opera programme: be it Mozart's »Entführung aus dem Serail«, Rossini's »Il barbiere di Siviglia«, Verdi's »La traviata«, »Rigoletto« and »Il trovatore« with Le Cercle de l'Harmonie and Jérémie Rhorer or Rossini's »La Cenerentola« and Bellini’s »I Capuleti e i Montecchi« alongside Europa Galante and Fabio Biondi: the singers of the choir, which was created especially for the Musikfest Bremen on a project basis, impress in each production. From its foundation, the choir has been led by conductor, organist and harpsichordist Detlef Bratschke, artistic director of the Balthasar Neumann Choir since 1992, where he has collaborated with its founder and conductor Thomas Hengelbrock for many years. Detlef Bratschke is founder of the Orlando di Lasso Ensemble, a group of solo singers specialising in music from the 15th to 17th centuries under his direction. He also performs regularly as an organist, working with leading ensembles and conductors.