Eight singers honour Georg Danzer at Tulln tribute concert

About 3,000 people attended a tribute concert for Georg Danzer at the Donaubühne stage in Tulln on Friday, ORF reported. Eight female singers performed songs by the Austrian pop pioneer, who would have turned 80 this year.

The performers included Ina Regen, Maria Bill, Katharina Straßer, Monika Ballwein, Anna Buchegger, Ankathie Koi and Birgit Denk, who also hosted the evening. The singers were accompanied by the Donaubühne anniversary band, led by Ursi Reicher and Erich Buchebner.

Straßer said she had even cut short her holiday to take part. “It is a great honour to be here, especially because only women are singing the songs,” she said.

Regen performed the duet “Zwa Wia Mia Zwa” with Ballwein and said Danzer had observed society and human relationships closely, including the points where those relationships began to break down.

The programme included Buchegger singing “A Erstickter Schrei”, Straßer performing “Lass Mi Amoi No Sun Aufgehn Sehn”, Bill interpreting “Weiße Pferde” and Koi performing “Jö schau”. Denk opened the concert with “Quäl Di Net” and shared anecdotes about Danzer.

“He was a poet and a writer who gave us songs full of irony, humour, sadness, longing and love,” Bill told ORF.

Part of the concert proceeds will be donated to St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, a child cancer research organisation, reflecting Danzer’s connection with the institution.

Visitors praised the selection of lesser-known and deeper songs. “Georg Danzer was a timeless performer, and I think his music will continue to have an impact for a long time,” Tulln resident Romana Girschik said.