Commentary

Storm instead of Silent Night over the Festspielhaus

In her commentary, Larissa Schütz analyzes the personnel changes at the Salzburg Festival.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Stock Adobe)

Instead of contemplative Christmas peace, there is a lot of noise at the Salzburg Festspielhaus. Artistic Director Markus Hinterhäuser has to take the rap for the Board of Trustees.

Advent is a turbulent time for the Salzburg Festival. While peace and contemplation gradually settle over the city in December, the roof of the Salzburg Festival is on fire. Criticism of Festival Director Markus Hinterhäuser has been growing louder and louder recently, triggered by the sudden dismissal of Acting Director Marina Davydova at the end of November.

The reason for this was her voluntary work at a Berlin theater festival, which, according to the Festival, had not been reported or approved. Even though, according to the official press release, an "out-of-court agreement regarding the termination of the collaboration" has now been reached, the matter is a shot in the arm for the festival in terms of PR.

In addition to the fact that Davydova, a woman who had to flee Russia because of her protest against the war, was abruptly shown the door, her work at the Berlin festival consisted, according to her lawyers, of supporting an artistic platform for displaced artists. So even if she did not actually follow the festival rules, in the public perception she at least did it for the right cause.

The fact that Hinterhäuser now has to take the rap on behalf of the Board of Trustees is not only due to his position as Artistic Director.

Director Michael Sturminger has been particularly vocal these days when it comes to backstabbing Hinterhäuser, comparing him to the title character of the popular Christmas film "Kevin - Home Alone", who, free from parental supervision, first redesigns the house according to his own ideas.

Sturminger can be accused of being vindictive after his production of "Jedermann" was surprisingly canceled last year; however, the Festival fulfilled its financial obligations in this regard. But the comparison is not entirely far-fetched. After the departure of Helga Rabl-Stadler, Kristina Hammer took over as Festival President, a woman who has not necessarily made a name for herself with strong leadership.

The fact that the Board of Trustees, the highest body of the Festival with representatives of the federal, state and city governments, emphasized in a statement at the end of last week that they were united behind the Artistic Director, describing him as an "exceptional artist" and backing this up with a list of international awards such as the "Trophée Radio Classique", seemed like a bucket of water on a burning Advent wreath in terms of the extent of the criticism that has now set the whole house on fire.

In the end, of course, none of this will cost Hinterhäuser his collar. His contract was extended this year until 2031, and the program designed by Marina Davydova for summer 2025 is also on a firm footing. Nevertheless, he will have to find a solution, or rather a suitable acting director, because neither the board of trustees nor the Christ Child can put one under the tree at Christmas.