Based in Budapest, the Purcell Choir is among Eastern Europe's leading choral ensembles specializing in early music. György Vashegyi formed the Purcell Choir in 1990 for a performance of Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas. He established the period instrument Orfeo Orchestra the following year. Vashegyi's intent was to establish ongoing organizations for the performance of Baroque and Classical-era music in an authentic way. It made its recording debut in 1998 on the album Istvánffy: St. Benedict Mass; Kraus: Requiem. Vashegyi remains the group's director, but the choir has also appeared with other conductors. It released a recording of Michael Haydn's oratorio Kaiser Constantin I: Feldzug und Sieg in 2022.