Outlook for 2025

2025 between uncertainty and highlights

Two highlights in 2025: a concert by Anna Netrebko and an exhibition on Wolfgang Hollegha.

(Bild: Jürgen Radspieler, Olga Rubio Dalmau)

The Styrian cultural scene is embarking on an ambivalent new year: politically, much is unclear for 2025, but the event calendar has highlights in store - from the Styria Show to a guest performance by the diva Netrebko.

What's in store for us in 2025? It's not just Styrian culture fans who are asking themselves this question when looking at the event calendar for the coming months, but also those working in the cultural sector, who are facing a year of uncertainty and change. The new blue-black state government has announced a reallocation of financial resources towards popular culture.

What exactly this will look like and who exactly can and should be cut is still up in the air. It is to be feared that the independent scene in particular could be affected. In any case, the new State Councillor for Culture, Karlheinz Kornhäusl (ÖVP), has asked for some time to familiarize himself with the situation before presenting concrete plans.

Schloss Eggenberg will be home to the Styria Show in 2025.

(Bild: UMJ/Jare)

Styria Show
A highlight of the cultural year will be the third Styria Show, which opens on April 26 at Eggenberg Palace under the title "Ambition & Illusion". The legendary castle in the west of Graz is celebrating its 400th birthday this year; construction work began in 1625. To this day, it bears witness not only to the splendor and wealth of the Eggenbergs as landlords, but also to their international connections. The pavilion, which will feature works by Erwin Wurm, Hubert Schmalix, Herbert Brandl and other renowned artists, is once again part of the Styria Show this year.

Styriarte celebrates concert venues - including in Stainz.

(Bild: Styriarte/CT)

styriarte turns 40
The styriarte is also celebrating its 40th birthday this year. The classical music festival for and with star conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt was launched in 1985. To mark its 40th birthday, from June 19 to July 20, the festival will celebrate the many concert halls it performs in year after year under the motto "Space & Sound" - from Eggenberg Palace to the parish church in Stainz to the Helmut List Hall, which was built especially for the styriarte in 2003.

Anniversaries: from Girardi to Stolz
This year marks the 175th anniversary of the births of folk actor Alexander Girardi and composer Richard Heuberger - both were born in Graz and started their great careers here. 2025 marks the 130th anniversary of the death of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. The Austrian author, who wrote a standard erotic work with his novella "Venus in Fur", lived in Graz for many years.

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Robert Stolz.

(Bild: GrazMuseum)

And 2025 also marks the 50th anniversary of the death of composer Robert Stolz. Stolz was one of the most famous sons of the city of Graz throughout his life and wrote countless timeless operetta melodies that took him all the way to Hollywood.

Concert highlights
Several world stars of classical music will be performing in Graz in the coming months: Anna Netrebko (February 19) and Rolando Villazon (April 24) are coming to the Musikverein, and in summer (August 17 and 19) a "La Traviata" with world stars Nicole Chevalier, Joseph Calleja and Thomas Hampson can be experienced at Graz's Schloßberg.

Metal on the Hill celebrates its return to Graz's Schloßberg.

(Bild: Picwish/Napalm)

At the other end of the musical spectrum, the "Metal on the Hill" festival is also celebrating its return to Graz's Schloßberg (August 30) - on the same day, the "Nuke" festival is also back in Graz after a long break. Graz can also look forward to concerts by indie greats such as Fontaines D.C. (August 21), Goldie (March 8) and Cat Power (March 24). And local pop giants Granada will be celebrating their tenth birthday with an anniversary show in Graz on September 12.

Exhibitions
The Styrian museums have numerous great exhibitions on offer this year: Among other things, the Neue Galerie in Graz is dedicating a solo exhibition to Wolfgang Hollegha, who died in 2023, the Grazer Kunsthaus is devoting a solo exhibition to the multifaceted work of Milica Tomić (from June 26), the Folklore Museum is looking back at letter bomb terror of the 1990s in a show, and the Museum of History is exploring the "stages of the bourgeoisie".

2025 sees the publication of a new book by Barbara Frischmuth.

(Bild: Monika Loeff)

Literature
The year 2025 also has exciting literary things to offer. For example, Barbara Frischmuth, the grande dame of the Styrian literary scene, has announced a new work. And the new novel by Graz author Olga Flor will also be published this spring.