Festival opening

“All the days when we don’t die”

A little devil led through the program.

(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

At the opening of the Bregenz Festival on Wednesday morning, it was not only the Federal President who gave an impressive speech: Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler called on people to admit mistakes and celebrate compromise - all to the tune of "Sympathy for the Devil". 

As always at the Festival opening, three speeches were given this year - none of them, however, by a specially invited speaker. Instead, this was done by Festival President Hans-Peter Metzler, the Federal President and the Vice-Chancellor. The latter brought quite a lot of pop culture to the high culture stage of the Bregenz Festspielhaus:

After commenting on the slightly bumpy interim moderation of the "Freischütz" devil character with a mumbled "Sympathy for the devil, yes I'm that old", he went into medias res: "What can we do for better coexistence?" Kogler suggested a renunciation of violence in language, generosity, the ability to admit mistakes and allow contradictions. He admitted that he could also take himself by the nose.

Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler at the opening of the festival.

(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

Decisions in grave silence
As a remedy against the targeted disinformation from troll factories and the like, he recommended an instruction from Kant: the use of reason. He warned against the denunciation of compromise as a mere dilution of the truth. "Anyone who rejects the ability to compromise automatically runs over others". That is why we do not need a people's chancellor, but freely elected representatives. According to Kogler (after all, he should know), a democracy can also be recognized by its operating noise, because decisions are only made in grave silence in autocracies. Finally, he brought the Peanuts into play and reminded the audience that every day is an opportunity to walk through the world with care and vigilance.  

Elisabeth Sobotka was moved by Hans-Peter Metzler's speech.

(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

Tears in her eyes
Finally, Festival President Hans-Peter Metzler showered the outgoing Festival Director with roses - to such an extent that it brought tears to the eyes of the tough cultural manager. Metzler particularly emphasized Elisabeth Sobotka's tireless commitment to the Festival, her visionary strength and passion. 

The high standards she had set would now be continued. Apart from the words of praise for Sobotka, who is known to be moving to the "Staatsoper Unter den Linden" in Berlin, Metzler focused on the power of art in his speech: "Our answer to violence is to make music sound louder and more beautiful. In the words of Leonard Bernstein, Metzler said that music not only carries comfort, but also the power of hope.

Gifted narrator: David Pountney.

(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

Between the speeches, the audience gained an insight into this year's productions. One of the highlights of the performances was certainly the appearance of former festival director David Pountney, who returned to Lake Constance this year for the production "Hold your Breath".

He recited a passage from the opera libretto, which goes back to an old "nursery rhyme", as the Brit explained. This Murder Mystery was a good example of the fact that stories for children used to be a little harsher than they are today - and so, for the very first time, this opening had something truly spooky to offer.