For security reasons

Salzburg celebrates the opening of the festival over three days

Torch dance on Salzburg's Residenzplatz

(Bild: APA/BARBARA GINDL)

Three days, 76 different program items, 32 venues and 11,000 tickets: these are the key figures for this year's festival opening in Salzburg.

There is a reason why the festival is taking place on July 19 and 20 this time and has been extended to include the official opening day of the festival on July 26: "Jedermann".

Because the dress rehearsal and premiere of the new production take place on Friday and Saturday on the cathedral square, the torch dance cannot take place at the same time for safety reasons, explained festival organizer Renate Stelzl at a press conference on Friday.

While the first weekend of the festival will focus on insights into the festival program with concerts, readings and the dress rehearsal of "Jedermann", folk culture will make its grand entrance on the day of the festival opening with the welcoming salute of the Prangerstutzenschützen, dance groups, the Salzburger Volksliedkreis, the Lessacher Alphornbläser, Turmbläser and the traditional torch dance on the Residenzplatz.

Dress rehearsal open to the public
"When the house becomes transparent, the stars are part of the festival," said Festival President Kristina Hammer, quoting a sentence by Festival founder Hugo von Hofmannsthal, which could serve as a guideline for the program. Visitors can look forward to several dress rehearsals: for example, they will get a taste of the Ouverture spirituelle during the rehearsal for "Et exspecto" in the Kollegienkirche. The Vox Luminis XL ensemble also invites visitors to a dress rehearsal, where Thomas Tallis' motet for 40 voices in eight choirs will be performed. "A goosebump moment," promised Hammer. The first highlight on Friday evening is the dress rehearsal of "Jedermann", which is open to the public. The proceeds from the discounted tickets will go to charity, said the president.

When the house becomes transparent, the stars are part of the festival

Festspielpräsidentin Kristina Hammer zitiert Gründer Hugo von Hofmannsthal

The popular autograph session in the entrance foyer of the Grosses Festspielhaus allows visitors to meet artists such as Jedermann Philipp Hochmair, soprano Asmik Grigorian, tenor Julian Pregardien and director Peter Sellars. The Board of Directors also contributes to the festival. President Hammer discusses how cultural institutions can be led into the future with KHM Director Sabine Haag and Domquartier Director Andrea Stockhammer under the title "Vision, Myth, Venture". Artistic Director Markus Hinterhäuser is a guest on Ö1 Klassik Treffpunkt with baritone Georg Nigl. Commercial Director Lukas Crepaz explains the upcoming construction projects during guided tours of the Festival Houses.

Highlights include performances by the Salzburg Street Theater and concerts by the Young Singers Project and the Salzburg Festival and Theater Girls' Choir. Thomas Gansch can be heard with the Blasmusik Supergroup at the Haus für Mozart, while the chamber music line-up of the Landesblasorchester will perform works by Bach, Strauss and Rodrigo. "These concerts show that brass music can do more than beer tents and regulars' tables," promised Stelzl. Schloss Leopoldskron is present with many program items: There are several guided tours and readings - including with Sunnyi Melles and her daughter Leonille Wittgenstein. Son Constantin Wittgenstein provides the sound as a DJ. Violinist Benjamin Schmid will play with friends in Leopoldskron, and the film "Vor der Morgenröte" about Stefan Zweig, who lived in exile, will be shown in the garden.

Online ordering from July 6
Stelzl announced "3D for the ears" at three concerts in the scene. The radio.string.quartet will transform Bach's Violin Sonata in G minor into a 3D sound show in the cleared-out Szene-Saal. All program items can be attended free of charge, but tickets are required for many performances. These will be available online from July 6, 9.30 am. In order to avoid overloading the servers, a different date has been chosen for online ticket orders for the "Jedermann" dress rehearsal. These can be purchased from July 10, 9.30 am.