Anne Applebaum will give the keynote speech at the opening of the Salzburg Festival 2025. The Pulitzer Prize winner will deliver the keynote address on July 26. Her speech titled, “Democracy and the Music Festival” focuses on the current ideological realignment, democratic decline, and on the role of art in a time of global upheaval. Applebaum is a journalist and {…}
Mozart’s “Mitridate, re di Ponto” premiered on the day of Germany’s elections on February 23, 2025 at the Staatsoper Hamburg. It was conducted by Adam Fischer and directed by Birgit Kajtna-Wönig, marking an ambitious co-production with the Salzburg Festival. Set in the final days of Pontic Greek King Mitridate VI’s resistance against Rome, the opera explores power, betrayal, and dynastic {…}
(Photo credit: Jan Friese) Along with the announcement of its 2025 season, the Salzburg Festival has appointed Axel Hiller to the position of Director of Concert and Media. He commences his tenure on May 1, 2025. The concert office is responsible for concert programming in close collaboration with the artistic director. Meanwhile, the media department coordinates recordings and broadcasts of {…}
The Salzburg Festival announced that construction will begin in early September for the Festival Centre on Herbert-von-Karajan-Platz. Designed by the architectural firm Marte.Marte, this project will give the Festival District a place of encounter for the citizens of Salzburg and art lovers from around the world a place to gather for a myriad of events. The Salzburg Festival District is {…}
( Photo: © SF/Monika Rittershaus) All sinful things come wrapped in fascinating aesthetics. You know the feeling: something that is extremely beautiful and appealing, but disquieting—too pleasurable to be ethically good. That is Salzburg Festival’s “Don Giovanni”: a spectacular dramatic installation, a grandiose musical project, a lustful conception; yet sinfully wrong. First things first. This is a revival of Romeo {…}
(Photo credit: © SF Marco Borrelli) Is it possible to be merciful with fascists? In Robert Carsen’s reading of Mozart’s “La Clemenza di Tito” the answer must be a reverberant “No”—otherwise, the moment one turns their back, they will not miss the opportunity to stab it. Robert Carsen often enjoys updating opera plots, making them reflections of current politics—often achieving {…}
(Photo credit: SF/Marco Borrelli) The ending of “Capriccio” has often been praised; less has been said out loud about how never ending the rest of the opera is. Performed in a concert version, with little to no theatrical movement, it lasts for almost an eternity. Perhaps I am being too harsh. Although “Capriccio” is far from a magnum opus, it is {…}
Composer Wolfgang Rihm passed away on July 27, at the age of 72. Rihm was born in Karlsruhe on March 13, 1952. He was an enthusiastic choir singer and began composing at age eleven. At the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe, he studied music theory and composition. He went on to compose over 500 works including several operas. Rihm was a {…}
(Photo credit: SF/Marco Borrelli) Thomas Dunford and Lea Desandre are pop. Young, synergetic, and talented, they exude a pop quality even when they are not singing the Beatles. It is a fresh thing that makes them desirable and somehow accessible. But how many people can play the lute like Thomas and sing like Lea? In their Salzburg recital, their pop-ness {…}
The Salzburg Festival has announced that the Würth Group has become the festival’s next main sponsor. The Group takes on the role for three years, starting next season. “We are very grateful and honestly touched that Professor Reinhold Würth and the Würth Group have now more than doubled their contributions, which were already generous. Our intense conversations have shown that {…}
The Salzburg Festival is set to celebrate Plácido Domingo’s 50th anniversary with the festival. In a statement, the company said, “Plácido Domingo first appeared at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and today we are celebrating half a century together. He has accompanied us in an incredible 17 opera productions and ten concert evenings. That’s why we can hardly wait for this {…}