Opening in Ischl

Capital of Culture: after the climax, naked irritation

Conchita Wurst wowed the audience at the opening

(Bild: Einöder Horst)

The opening of the Capital of Culture in Bad Ischl ended with a "hangover breakfast". Overall, the outcome was positive; a dance performance that followed Hubert von Goisern and Conchita Wurst caused discussion on Facebook.

Bad Ischl draws a positive balance: according to the organizers, 10,000 to 15,000 visitors came to the imperial city at the weekend to get a taste of the Capital of Culture air for the first time.

Around 5500 curious people were able to follow the big open-air event on Saturday - no more were allowed in the area. In terms of the program, it only partly summed up the basic idea of the Capital of Culture - to combine tradition with further development.

The Prangerschützen also had a place at the opening

(Bild: HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Conchita Wurst wowed the audience at the opening.

(Bild: Einöder Horst)

After the Prangerschützen salute, Hubert von Goisern and his polyphonic choir provided a genuine, beautiful sound experience, Conchita Wurst set the highlight with "Rise Like a Phoenix" - we reported. But then followed an irritating dance performance, dramaturgically incomprehensible - this would have deserved its own program item and venue.

Naked people danced the "powder dance" in sub-zero temperatures - an irritating finale for many in the audience.

(Bild: Wolfgang Spitzbart)

The opening operetta "Eine Frau, die weiß, was sie will" from Berlin also had room for improvement. Two performances of the production from 2015 (!) were not sold out. A "hangover breakfast" with music and talks followed on Sunday.

But now it's done: In addition to Ischl, 22 municipalities in Upper Austria and Styria have joined forces to form the "Salzkammergut 2024 Capital of Culture Region", as it has recently been emphasized. Other cultural capitals: Tartu in Estonia (opening on January 27) and Bodø (February 3) in Norway.

Comment on the opening weekend:

The imperial weather on Saturday was promising, as was the "yes" of the guests to the Capital of Culture: many traveled by train from Vienna, Linz, Salzburg and neighboring communities to Bad Ischl, which wanted to remain car-free on the opening day of the Capital of Culture. 

Skifoahn in first place
The art exhibition in the brewhouse with "art with salt and water" was undoubtedly a magnet. The old salt works building proved its worth as a cultural venue for the first time. Now the plan to convert it into a cultural center after 2024 seems plausible and tangible. But dilettantism was also evident on the opening weekend. The biggest mistake: scheduling the opening of the Capital of Culture on the same weekend that the whole of Austria is inhaling the Hahnenkamm Races in Kitzbühel. 

Commissioned work would have been an impulse
It is also questionable to fly in an - pardon me - ancient operetta production from Berlin instead of encouraging an in-house production from Austria - yes, we also have good directors, composers and librettists! - to inspire us. That would have provided lasting impetus, as larger commissioned works are rare in the industry. 

Spell and magic
And once again we experienced an artistic director who did not fail to conjure up the same old phrases - from the revitalization of rural areas (was it really so extinct before?) to the Salzkammergut as a symbol of a united Europe - like the magic spells of Merseburg. But the presence of the 22 other municipalities on the opening day was almost only noticed by insiders. And how and where were the cultural capitals Bodø and Tartu presented?