The Philharmonia Chor Wien was founded in 2002. This happened on the initiative of Gerard Mortier, the former director of the Salzburg Festival. Depending on the project, the ensemble was initially called Chor der RuhrTriennale or Festspielchor Baden-Baden. Since 2006 the choir has been performing as an independent association under the name Philharmonia Chor Wien. Founder and choirmaster is Walter Zeh.

The choir guested - under conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Marc Minkowski, Kent Nagano u. a. - in opera productions of the Bremen Music Festival (L'Arlésienne), in Reggio Emilia and Ferrara (Die Zauberflöte), in the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden (Parsifal, Die Zauberflöte and Tannhäuser) and in the RuhrTriennale (Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflöte). At the RuhrTriennale in 2007, the choir proved its versatility in participating in Wilhelm Genazino's play Courasche or Gott lass in the Duisburger Gebläsehalle, as well as in Falk Richter's Unter Eis in the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum.

In 2010, the choir debuted at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival, as well as at the Ravenna Festival, performing Mozart's La Betulia liberata scenic and Jummelli's La Betulia liberata concertante under the baton of Riccardo Muti. 2011 followed - again in Salzburg and Ravenna - Mercadante's opera I due Figaro. This production could also be seen and heard in 2012 at the Teatro Real in Madrid and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. To honor the honorary membership of Gerard Mortier, the ensemble writes: "We want to fulfill the great trust that Gerard Mortier has placed in us in the future, continue our journey in his spirit and will always keep an honorable memory." 2013 and 2014 The choir took over central opera productions of the Salzburg Festival - Falstaff and Don Giovanni - both in the Haus für Mozart.

In addition to the opera, the ensemble is also active as a concert choir. New Year's Eve and New Year 2006/2007, the choir in Bochum sang Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and extracts from Porgy and Bess with the Bochum Symphony Orchestra under Stephen Sloane. At the 2011 Salzburg Whitsun Festival, Cherubini's Requiem under Riccardo Muti was on the program at the Felsenreitschule, and Beethoven's Ninth with the Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich under Andrés Orozco-Estrada for the opening of the Grafenegg Music Festival. Another opening concert was performed by the choir in the Monreale Cathedral at the 54th Editione di Sacra Festival under Reinhard Seehafer with Haydn's Creation in November 2011.

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