Salzburg Festival 2020 ©SF/Kolarik The Salzburg Festival is preparing to celebrate its centenary in 2020. The festival’s “founding fathers” dreamed of a world capital of the arts on Austrian soil, first and foremost the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal, the theatre impresario Max Reinhardt and the composer Richard Strauss. They wanted to establish it far from the distractions of the big cities, in Salzburg, because Salzburg is “the heart of the heart of Europe,” in Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s incomparably beautiful phrase. The Salzburg Festival was to be “one of the first peace projects” (Max Reinhardt) after the horrors of World War I, and a clear artistic statement from Austria, which had gone from the Habsburg empire, which had included half of Europe to a petty state. Opera and theatre, the best of both – such was their guideline, simple-sounding yet highly demanding. Art as a bringer of peace, and quality as the programming guideline – these two founding no- tions have borne us aloft through the decades. Today the Salzburg Festival, which began in 1920 with one sole drama performance, is the largest classical festival in the world. In 2019 we offered 199 performances in 43 days at 16 performance venues, welcoming visitors from 78 countries, 40 of them non-European. With music, the only language without borders, we wish to reach out to people from all corners of the earth, especially in our anniversary year. Max Reinhardt knew how important the audience and listeners are for a festival’s success. As he said, “the best must be assembled not only on stage, but also in the auditorium”. In this spirit, we invite you to make 2020 a very special year in the Salzburg Festival’s history. The Directorate of the Salzburg Festival: Lukas Crepaz, Helga Rabl-Stadler, Markus Hinterhäuser ©SF/Gorges The Salzburg Festival is preparing to celebrate its centenary in 2020. The festival’s “founding fathers” dreamed of a world capital of the arts on Austrian soil, first and foremost the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal, the theatre impresario Max Reinhardt and the composer Richard Strauss. They wanted to establish it far from the distractions of the big cities, in Salzburg, because Salzburg is “the heart of the heart of Europe,” in Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s incomparably beautiful phrase. The Salzburg Festival was to be “one of the first peace projects” (Max Reinhardt) after the horrors of World War I, and a clear artistic statement from Austria, which had gone from the Habsburg empire, which had included half of Europe to a petty state. Opera and theatre, the best of both – such was their guideline, simple-sounding yet highly demanding. Art as a bringer of peace, and quality as the programming guideline – these two founding no- tions have borne us aloft through the decades. Today the Salzburg Festival, which began in 1920 with one sole drama performance, is the largest classical festival in the world. In 2019 we offered 199 performances in 43 days at 16 performance venues, welcoming visitors from 78 countries, 40 of them non-European. With music, the only language without borders, we wish to reach out to people from all corners of the earth, especially in our anniversary year. Max Reinhardt knew how important the audience and listeners are for a festival’s success. As he said, “the best must be assembled not only on stage, but also in the auditorium”. In this spirit, we invite you to make 2020 a very special year in the Salzburg Festival’s history. The Directorate of the Salzburg Festival: Lukas Crepaz, Helga Rabl-Stadler, Markus Hinterhäuser ©SF/Gorges reat orld Theatre – The Salzburg Festival Centenary in his founding manifesto, “the highest of all of them”. Or, as we would say today: the best. Thus, quality was the Festival’s founding guideline. What began with a drama performance on a Max Reinhardt Hugo von Hofmannsthal ©ASF/Ellinger After a brief setback – the 192 season had suare in the historical city centre (because to be cancelled for lack of funding – the building a theatre was unaffordable) has be- event grew continuously. ore performance come the most important classical festival in days and additional venues now became reg- the world today. ular innovations. n 1925 the name of the i- In 2020, there will be approximately 200 per enna hilharmonic first graced one of the formances at 16 venues over a period of 4 Salzburg Festival’s playbills. Since then, the days, attracting guests from 0 countries, 0 orchestra has been the musical heart of the of which non-European. These figures alone Festival, having performed approimately demonstrate how much has changed in 2,200 operas and 00 concerts to this day. Der osenkavalier 1961 © SFEllinger these almost 00 years. Between 1933 and 1937 the Salzburg Festi- The idea of holding regular celebrations of music in honour of the city’s greatest son – Wolf- val represented a symbol of the national and cultural independence of ustria to the outside gang Amadeus Mozart, naturally – arose long before the Festival’s founding in 1920. How- world. rtists such as Arturo Toscanini and runo alter worked ceaselessly to internation- ever, this idea only too on concrete shape toward the end of orld ar , when a group alize the Salzburg Festival, which positioned itself artistically and ideologically as an “Anti- surrounding the director and impresario Max Reinhardt, the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal Bayreuth”, in opposition to the National Socialists who already ruled Germany. During the and the composer Richard Strauss revived these plans. summers, the city became a meeting-place of international high society. Through the idea of a festival, the “founding fathers” tried to wreak order from the post- The anneation of ustria by Hitler-ermany in 1938 and azi cultural policy changed the war period of chaos. After the breadown of the Austrian monarchy, theatre as a festive Festival several composers and works were now banned artists stayed away, or were forced institution was to foster tradition, national identity and a sense communality. The Festival to. fter the attempt on Hitler’s life in 1944, the Festival had to be cancelled entirely. became a project against the identity crisis and the loss of values of individuals, but also And then, a small miracle took place only three months after the war had ended in Europe, entire peoples. And the best place to implement their audacious project seemed to the in the summer of 1945, the merican occupying forces permitted and supported the Festi- founders to be Salzburg, with its natural and architectural charms. “Salzburg is the heart of val’s taking place again. the heart of Europe,” as Hugo von Hofmannsthal put it so beautifully. Although the city was heavily damaged by bombing raids, although soldiers and refugees On 22 August 920 everything was ready Jedermann 20 ©ASF/Ellinger crowded the city and despite the shortage of Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s Jedermann was the most important supplies, most of all food first performed in Salzburg, directed by Max – once again, as after World ar , the Festi- Reinhardt, outside the athedral, where it is val’s political mission carried the day: Gen- still enacted today. Ever since, the “play of eral Mark Clark, the high commander of the the rich man’s dying” has graced the pro- American occupying forces which governed gramme every year – with only two excep Salzburg until the 1955 Treaty, chose the tions, from 22 to 2 and from to opening of the Salzburg Festival for his first 1945. t has long become an icon and trade- public appearance in Austria, as he consid- mar of the Festival. Carmen rehearsal with Herbert von Karaan 196 ered this a “celebration of the rebirth of cul- © SF/Ellinger The next year, 1921, already saw additional orchestra and chamber music concerts. And tural freedom”. when the three da onte operas by Mozart – Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro and Così fan As early as 1948, one man appeared centre-stage whose name is still indelibly linked with tutte – were performed for the first time in 922, the Festival had found its core structure, the Salzburg Festival Herbert von araan. A native of Salzburg – he was born only a few valid to this day operas, plays and concerts – and, as Hugo von Hofmannsthal demanded hundred metres from today’s Festival district – he conducted the incredible number of 247 in his founding manifesto, “the highest of all of them”. Or, as we would say today: the best. Thus, quality was the Festival’s founding guideline. After a brief setback – the 192 season had to be cancelled for lack of funding – the event grew continuously. ore performance days and additional venues now became reg- ular innovations. n 1925 the name of the i- enna hilharmonic first graced one of the Salzburg Festival’s playbills. Since then, the orchestra has been the musical heart of the Festival, having performed approimately 2,200 operas and 00 concerts to this day. Der osenkavalier 1961 © SFEllinger Between 1933 and 1937 the Salzburg Festi- val represented a symbol of the national and cultural independence of ustria to the outside world. rtists such as Arturo Toscanini and runo alter worked ceaselessly to internation- alize the Salzburg Festival, which positioned itself artistically and ideologically as an “Anti- Bayreuth”, in opposition to the National Socialists who already ruled Germany. During the summers, the city became a meeting-place of international high society. The anneation of ustria by Hitler-ermany in 1938 and azi cultural policy changed the Festival several composers and works were now banned artists stayed away, or were forced to. fter the attempt on Hitler’s life in 1944, the Festival had to be cancelled entirely.