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OPERA

Salzburg Festival kicks off amid budget worries

The Salzburg Festival, one of the world's top opera events which begins this weekend, has seen almost as much drama behind the scenes as on stage in recent years - with budget problems and widely publicised management disputes.

Salzburg Festival kicks off amid budget worries
Alexander Pereira and his wife Daniela de Souza. Photo: APA/NEUMAYR/MMV

For the next month, the Austrian city and birthplace of Mozart will again welcome the cream of the music world, with singers like Anna Netrebko and Placido Domingo, pianist Lang Lang and conductors Zubin Mehta and Sir Simon Rattle performing a rich programme of opera, theatre and concerts.

But the festival's internal problems have made just as many headlines ever since the arrival in 2012 of artistic director Alexander Pereira, who will now leave after just three stormy years at the helm.

The Austrian – who now heads to Milan's La Scala – greatly expanded the festival's programme, but also leaves a serious financial gap in his wake.

Under the 66-year-old Pereira, the festival gained a two-week "Ouverture Spirituelle", dedicated to religious music from around the world, ahead of the main opera programme.

The number of performances rose and so did the number of visitors – Pereira insisted this was necessary to renew a festival that was becoming "increasingly inconspicuous".

Behind the scenes however, there was increased grumbling among artists and staff about the crowded programme, which looks to be reduced once Pereira is gone.

From the beginning of his reign, the Austrian butted heads with local and regional authorities over funding for the festival, which draws over a fifth of its budget – which stands at about €61 million ($82 million) this year – from public funds.

His premature departure before his five-year contract was up also caused friction.

While costs have risen, public funding levels have remained almost unchanged over the past few years, organisers have complained.

A string of new productions ordered by Pereira only made the budget hole bigger, despite record attendance.

A deficit of €1.6 million as feared by festival director Helga Rabl-Stadler last year could be avoided.

But the organisers had to seriously dip into the festival's budget reserves, leaving little to fill any future budget gap.

In a recent interview, Rabl-Stadler already announced that the budget for the coming years would be revised downwards and that the festival would start recycling productions rather than presenting new ones as was the custom under Pereira, in an effort to save money.


An open-air performance of Everyman in front of Salzburg Cathedral is a festival ritual. Photo: APA/Gindl

Tribute to war

For the 94th edition of the Salzburg Festival, music lovers will still be treated to 270 performances in 45 days, including five opera premiers.

Among them is the eagerly awaited Charlotte Salomon – a new creation directed by Luc Bondy and conducted by Marc-Andre Dalbavie – based on the life of artist and Holocaust victim Charlotte Salomon.

In commemoration of the start of World War I 100 years ago, this year's theme is war.

Mozart's Don Giovanni, which will open the festival on Sunday, has been reinterpreted and set in late 1930s Spain under Franco's regime.

Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore with Netrebko and Domingo, and Franz Schubert's Fierrabras will follow.

The programme also includes Karl Kraus's play The Last Days of Mankind, a new creation by British playwright Duncan Macmillan The Forbidden Zone, and the world premier of Golem, a co-production with London's Young Vic and Paris's Theatre de la Ville.

After tributes to Buddhist and Jewish music, this year's Ouverture Spirituelle has focussed on Islam with a Sufi group from Cairo and new works by Egyptian and Palestinian composers.

Last year, over 287,000 people attended the festival – a new record. This year's event – with tickets starting at €6 for certain concerts and going up to €420 euros for the operas – runs until August 31st. 

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WHAT'S ON IN AUSTRIA

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The list of Austrian summer festivals is long, and it offers something for everyone. Whether you prefer classical music, reggae, pop, or rock, you will likely find what you are looking for. Here are some of this summer’s most exciting festival offerings. 

Salzburg Festival

The Salzburg Festival is one of the world’s most famous festivals for opera, classical music, and drama. It takes place from July 19th to August 31st at various venues in Salzburg.

The programme offers 172 performances with classical music, operas, and world-famous artists. The festival is especially famous for its opera performances by composers such as Mozart, Richard Strauss, and Giuseppe Verdi, which are held in Salzburg’s beautiful and historical buildings, such as the Salzburg Festival Hall.

Apart from the musical performances, the festival offers art exhibitions, literary readings, and lectures.

Tickets to the different performances can be booked online.

Salzburg Festival. AFP PHOTO / WILDBILD (Photo by Wildbild / AFP)

Bregenz Festival

The Bregenz Festival takes place from July 17th until August 18th in Bregenz, Vorarlberg. It is a famous performance arts festival that mainly focuses on opera productions. The festival is known worldwide for its operas performed on a floating stage set on the shores of Lake Constance.

Bregenz Festival presents both contemporary and classic operas. Earlier productions have focused on operas such as Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida,” Georges Bizet’s “Carmen,” and Giacomo Puccini’s “Turandot,” along with modern adaptations of literary works and films.

In addition to opera, the festival also offers a cultural programme with concerts, theatre performances, and other cultural events in different locations throughout the city.

You can get your tickets to the different performances here.

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Danube Island Festival (Donauinselfest)

The largest free open-air festival in Europe is on the Danube Island in Vienna from the 21st to the 23rd of June.

The festival offers a diverse line-up of performances across all genres, including rock, pop, electronic, hip-hop, jazz, and folk music. Multiple stages are set up all over the island, where both well-known international artists and upcoming local ones share the stage.

During the festival, you can buy food, drinks, arts and crafts, and enjoy other events such as sports competitions and smaller exhibitions.

The festival is very popular and tends to be crowded, especially at the stages where the most famous artists perform. Last year, Bonnie Tyler was one of them.

Vienna Festival Weeks

The Vienna Festival Weeks (Wiener Festwochen) is a five-week-long cultural event that takes over the city every summer. This time, it takes place from May 17th until June 23rd at various locations in Vienna.

The festival is famous for being an innovative and international event that includes dance, music, fine arts, workshops, theatre and different performances. New expressions of artistic activities are presented in the form of contemporary music, experimental dance, multimedia installations, and interdisciplinary collaborations, exposing the diversity and dynamism of the art scene.

Many events are accessible for free, such as the many open-air performances, while tickets are necessary for other events and can be bought online. The program for the different events can be found here.

Vienna Festival Weeks. APP PHOTO/DIETER NAGL (Photo by DIETER NAGL / AFP)

Nova Rock Festival

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The line-up usually includes famous bands from all over the world, and this year, Green Day, Billy Talent, and Sisters of Mercy, among others, will take over the stages.

A daily pass costs €119, and a festival pass costs between €240 and €390, depending on your accommodation type and VIP access. Tickets can be reserved online.

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Frequency Festival

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This year’s line-up includes bands and artists like The Offspring, Gigi D’Agostino, and Raf Camora. The festival stages are spread over a large area, with different stands selling food, drinks, merchandise, and other crafts.

A general festival pass costs €219 with a camping spot included, and a daily pass costs €109. Tickets can be booked here.

Hill Vibes Reggae Festival

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The music festival focuses on various sub-genres of reggae, such as roots reggae, dub, dancehall, and more. It is known to be a relaxed and laid-back festival where visitors enjoy music, dance, and connect with like-minded individuals.

The line-up usually includes local and international artists and bands, and this year, artists such as Gentleman and Teacha Dee will perform on the stages.

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A festival pass costs €126 and can be booked online.

Carinthian Summer

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This year, the festival takes place from July 2nd to August 29th. It offers a wide range of classical music performances, such as orchestral concerts, chamber music recitals, opera productions, and solo performances by well-known musicians such as Ulrich Dreschler and Maya Gour.

You can book tickets to the different events here.

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