Charity concert revives Beat Richner’s vision in Siem Reap

A volunteer choir’s debut in Siem Reap has become more than a musical event — it is a tribute to the late Swiss paediatrician Beat Richner and the hospitals he founded that have saved millions of Cambodian children.

On 27 June, Musica Felice staged its first charity concert at the Jayavarman VII Centre, beside Kantha Bopha III Children’s Hospital. The performance, an adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, carried the theme “Every Ticket Saves Lives”, with proceeds going directly to support the hospital.

Conductor Miwako Fujiwara said the venue itself inspired the project. “What touched me most was the connection between this beautiful hall and the hospital next door, a place that has saved millions of children’s lives,” she explained.

Kantha Bopha hospitals, revived in 1992 by Richner, have treated more than 22 million children free of charge. For families unable to afford complex care, they remain a lifeline. Richner, also a cellist, famously performed as “Beatocello” to raise awareness and funds, blending music with humanitarian service.

Fujiwara believes the concert continues that tradition. “Music may not heal physical illness, but it has the power to open hearts, create empathy and inspire people to take action,” she said.

The production combined choral music, theatre and piano, chosen for its themes of compassion and dignity — values central to Kantha Bopha’s mission. Organisers hope audiences left not only entertained but motivated to support children facing medical hardship.

Musica Felice’s singers, drawn from multiple countries and professions, overcame months of logistical challenges to bring the show to Cambodia. For Fujiwara, the effort symbolised the choir’s mission: building connections with communities and using music to serve a greater purpose.

Saturday’s performances marked a poignant continuation of Richner’s legacy. As the curtains rose beside Jayavarman VII Hospital, each ticket purchased became part of a tradition that insists treatment comes first, payment never.

-2026-07-01