A cappella singing at its best – that's what Voice Mania, the international concert festival of vocal acrobatics presents from November 8 to December 1. This year, 30 groups offer high-class acoustic entertainment without instrumental accompaniment for the twenty-second time. It's all about grooving, humming, rocking, clapping, flicking, jazzing, fooling around – and singing, of course!

The opening event of Voice Mania is Balcanto. Artistes sing, belt out and swing in a potpourri of music ranging from pop to classical from balconies in Vienna city center. In addition, A Cappella to go – vocal accompaniment on Graben – gets you in the mood for the Voice Mania Specials. The festival then continues for 23 days at the Metropol, Theater am Spittelberg and at the MuTh – Concert Hall of the Vienna Boys' Choir.

Maybebop (D) surprise with a new unerring everyday wit, Ringmasters (SWE) offer polished barbershop music, Cadence (CAN) unfold melodic homeland beauties, and Pust (N) enchant with soulful Nordic sound. The a cappella youngsters of The Quintessence (GE) combine phenomenal Georgian folklore with classical and jazz. Premieres are celebrated by The Face Vocal Band (US) with a warm Rocky Mountains sound, Irmelin (SWE) with mystic yodelers, and the whiz kids Quintense (D) with pop and rock. The kitchen table session of the spontaneous singer Solala (SWE) is bizarre.
The Long Night of the A Cappella on November 30 offers celebratory triple enjoyment: Slixs (D) mark ten years as vocal bastards, while Gema 4 (ISR, CU) have been serving up pearls of Cuban music for 25 years. Rock4 (NL) smash all records with Queen anthems.

The local scene keeps up unmistakably with the top acts and as an Austrian collection. It ranges from the LALÁ Vocalensemble with the purest harmonies to downright groovy contemporary songs from Heaven Sent Cat, Bye Maxene with pop-swing and Velvet Voices with velvety-smooth soul to the pop-rock party of Das wird super. The Academy Singers and V.O.I.C.E – Vienna Pop & Jazz Choir Experience convincingly leave clichés about choral singing behind. Vocal acrobatics are brought into the mix by Rhythm4.

22nd Voice Mania 2019, November 8 - December 1, 2019
Various venues
Tickets and information: www.voicemania.at