Highlights in the Silent Night anniversary year Exhibitions, advent events and international productions
In total, there are 13 municipalities in SalzburgerLand, Tirol and Upper Austria with a strong connection to the most famous of all Christmas songs, “Silent Night”. The museums, exhibitions and memorial sites there tell the story of the creation and the dissemination of the song and also reveal the lives and works of lyricist Joseph Mohr and composer Franz Xaver Gruber. The many great events held across the Silent Night Locations on the occasion of the song’s 200th anniversary set to pay rightful homage to the song and its creators.
“Silent Night 200”: cross-provincial, decentralised national exhibition Across a total of nine Silent Night Locations and Museums in SalzburgerLand, Tirol and Upper Austria, the cross-provincial, decentralised national exhibition “200 years Silent Night! Holy Night! – Austria’s message of peace to the world” invites visitors to learn the history of the famed Christmas song from 29 September 2018 to 3 February 2019. In SalzburgerLand, the museums in Salzburg, Arnsdorf, Oberndorf, Hallein, Wagrain and Mariapfarr educate about the song and its creators, whilst a new theme trail is dedicated to the song in Hintersee. In Hochburg-Ach in Upper Austria, Franz Xaver Gruber’s birthplace, visitors can learn new and exciting things about the song’s composer. Fügen in Tirol is mainly dedicated to the international dissemination of the song, which began in the Zillertal valley. • When: 29 September 2018 until 3 February 2019 • Information: Stille Nacht 2018 GmbH | www.landesausstellung2018.at
SALZBURGERLAND
“My Silent Night”: a touch of Broadway at the Felsenreitschule theatre On 24 November 2018, the new musical play “My Silent Night” is set to premiere at Salzburg’s Felsenreitschule theatre. The production includes a top-notch team from the United States: The music is by the award-winning film composer and Emmy Award winner John Debney (“Ice Age”, “Sin City”, “The Passion of the Christ” and “The Jungle Book”), whilst the script was written by author, director and musician Hannah Friedman. The play is directed by Andreas Gergen, who is known for the successful productions of “The Sound of Music” or “Monty Python’s Spamalot”, among others. The Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, a large soloist ensemble with musical star Milica Jovanovic, Dominik Hees, Bettina Mönch and Pavel Fieber as well as Salzburg State Theatre’s choir and ballet will also be involved in the production. The piece will be part of the “musical play” genre; a form of the American musical theatre from the 1920s, which is marked by a serious story taking place before a historical background with references to local events and happenings. The genre’s Broadway classic is “The Sound of Music”, which was based on the true story of the von Trapp Family.
A glamorous story: Though the piece begins in America, the setting quickly changes as the story progresses. Protagonist Justin leaves his family during the hectic pre-Christmas season for he feels more lonely than at home and decides to go to Salzburg: This is, after all, where Elisabeth is from, whom he had met years ago as an exchange student. But another reason for going to Salzburg was so that he could finally practice his talent and passion for music. How will the story end? John Debney’s musical means real emotions and great entertainment. • Premiere: 24 November 2018 • Additional shows: 29 November to 18 December 2018 • Tickets & information: Salzburg State Theatre | T +43 662 871512222 | www.meinestillenacht.at
“Silent Mouse and Silent Night — a song and its history” in Wagrain-Kleinarl This folk play will include both actors and puppets and will be held at two different locations: Wagrain, Joseph Mohr’s home for many years, as well as Salzburg, as the protagonist’s place of birth. The production by the Salzburg State Theatre recounts stories and events from the point of view of young Joseph Mohr and also engages with the time and place in which the poem would eventually become the famous song. • Premiere: 9 November 2018, 17:00 — gymnasium at Joseph Mohr Schule in Wagrain • Additional dates: 02/09/16/23 December 2018 in Wagrain o 30 November & 08/15/22 December 2018 at Kammerspiele Salzburg o Tickets & information: www.salzburger-landestheater.at, www.wagrain-kleinarl.at
“Silent Night” — the Salzburg Advent Festival at the Grosses Festspielhaus Between 30 November and 16 December 2018, the famous Salzburg Advent Festival is set to take place once again at the Grosses Festspielhaus. With more than 150 participants — singers, actors, musicians as well as the little shepherds — the Salzburg Advent Festival is well known even outside of SalzburgerLand. This year, the festival is taking place under the title
“Salzburg Anniversary Advent Singing 2018 — Silent Night” and will explore the advent story within the socio-cultural context of Oberndorf in the year 1818, paying tribute to the two creators of the song. • Premiere: 30 November 2018 • Additional shows: 1 December until 16 December 2018 • Tickets & information: Salzburger Heimatwerk | T +43 662 843182 | www.salzburgeradventsingen.at
Anniversary weekend „200 years Silent Night! Holy Night! at Mariapfarr, Lungau From 7 to 9 December 2018 Mariapfarr, Lungau celebrates the anniversary weekend with a lovingly Christmas market on 8 and 9 December, a book presentation of the Silent-Night- detective novel from Manfred Baumann on 7 December, the “Joseph Mohr Singing” on 8 December and the first nationwide Christmas pilgrimage from the church Althofen to the Pilgrimage Church and Silent Night Basilica on 9 December. • When: 7 to 9 December 2018 • Information: Tourist Office Mariapfarr | T +43 6473 8766 | www.mariapfarr.at
TIROL
“Silent Night”: musical evenings at the SteudlTENN and the Festhalle Fügen The SteudlTENN is a 700-year-old barn in Uderns in the Zillertal valley, which today hosts a number of theatre performances and events. In the Silent Night anniversary year, the SteudlTENN is putting on two musical theatre pieces by Hakon Hirzenberger on several dates throughout July and December 2018: “The Silent Nights of Ludwig Rainer” and “Mauracher and Mohr”. Visitors can expect an evening of musical theatre featuring previously unreleased versions of “Silent Night”. • Dates for “Mauracher and Mohr”: 14 to 16 December 2018 at the Festhalle Fügen • Tickets & information: SteudlTENN | T +43 650 2727054 | www.steudltenn.com
UPPER AUSTRIA
“Christmas Singing”: special exhibition at the Schlossmuseum Linz The special exhibition “Christmas Singing”, held at the Schlossmuseum Linz between 1 December 2018 and 2 February 2019, will be dedicated to not only one but two Christmas songs, as well as to the Upper Austrian Christmas singing tradition as a whole. On the occasion of 200 Years “Silent Night” and 135 Years “Es wird scho glei dumpa”, the exhibition showcases the connections between Upper Austria and the two internationally beloved songs. Several other and lesser-known Upper Austrian Christmas and nativity songs will also be presented. Newly recorded musical examples complement the primarily archival exhibition and will help Upper Austria’s singing tradition come alive. • Date: 1 December 2018 until 2 February 2019 • Information: Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum | T +43 732 772052200 | www.landesmuseum.at
ADDITIONAL EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS IN THE 3 SILENT NIGHT LOCATIONS
Date Event 26 November 2017 - Felix Gruber – grandchild, musician, Silent Night researcher at the Silent 31 October 2018 Night Museum Arnsdorf. Special exhibition with furniture of the Gruber family. 24 August 2018 International peace concert of the music band Oberndorf. With handing over of the Silent-Night-Picture at the square Stille-Nacht-Platz. 22 September 2018 „Music from Gruber“ – theater play with Heimo Thiel about the life journey at 16:00 from Franx Xaver Gruber. At the TheaterObjekt Hallein. 29 September 2018 Reopening of the Silent Night Museum in Hallein. It documents the entire creation of the Christmas song and displays Joseph Mohr’s guitar and furniture and decorative elements from Gruber’s old apartment, as well as various autographs and Gruber’s document clarifying the song’s authorship. 29 September 2018 Reopening of the Pilgrimage- and Silent Night Museum at Mariapfarr according to the national exhibition. 9 October 2018 “200 years Silent Night – Franz Xaver Gruber and the time in which he lived” Hans Schwarzmayr, curator of the Franz-Xaver-Gruber-memorial
house at Hochburg-Ach, lectures about the composer and the time in which he lived. 30 September 2018 Open House at the Silent Night Museum Wagrain according to the national exhibition. 30 September 2018 Open House at Salzburg Museum according to the national exhibition “Silent Night 200 – History. Message. Present.” Guided tours every 30 minutes and program for children offered. 11 October 2018 Guided tours on Thursday at Salzburg Museum. Free guided tour and reduced museum entrance for the national exhibition “Silent Night 200 – History. Message. Present.” 13 October 2018 Concert music connects at Salzburg Museum. Singing together with the Choral Association Salzburg according to the national exhibition. Workshop “Silent Night – made colourful” at Salzburg Museum. With program for children (from 6 years) every 2nd Saturday per month/ parallel guided tour for adults through the national exhibition. 14 October 2018 Opening International Peace Path from Arnsdorf to Oberndorf. 14 October - "How was that then, teacher?" A lesson like in further times at the Silent 21 December 2018 Night Museum Arnsdorf. At different appointments from October to December 2018. Appropriate for children in the age of primary school, with costumes and a snack. 25 October 2018 Guided tours on Thursday at Salzburg Museum. Free guided tour and reduced museum entrance for the national exhibition “Silent Night 200 – History. Message. Present.” 28 October 2018 Music for young people: playing the pipe at Domchorsaal Salzburg. 30 and 31 October The immoral song – Silent Night in Film at Salzburg Museum. 2018 from November Replica exhibition of the first text print of “Silent Night” in Austria’s first 2018 Christmas Museum in Steyr. Theme tours around “Silent Night” are also offered. from November “Ludwig Rainer” special exhibition at the Sixenhof Museum by the Achensee 2018 lake. 9 November 2018 Premiere: „Sky for Anna“ – theater play with Yarina & Max Gurtner at at 19:30 Benediktussaal Lamprechtshausen. 14 November 2018 Book presentation "Stille Nacht und das Geheimnis der Zauberflöte" from Reinhard Schwabenitzky with musical accompaniment at Stift St. Peter, Salzburg. 16 November 2018 - Silent Night – walk on the mountain “Plainberg”. With the possibility to lend 23 January 2019 lanterns or to be part of a guided tour (every Saturday). 17 November 2018 Ecumenical celebration for peace by the archdiocese and parish Oberndorf.
17 November 2018 Reading at the Kollegienkirche Salzburg of “Silent Night. A song with history” by Tina Breckwoldt and “Silent Night. The book to the song” by Thomas Hochradner and Michael Neureiter. With sentimental music. from 18 November The Steyrer Kripperl, one of the last remaining stick puppet theatres in the 2018 German-speaking region, is being reopened after renovations. The theatre is currently in the process of applying for UNESCO World Heritage status. 22 November 2018 Mozarteum at Museum at the Salzburg Museum. 22 November 2018 Reopening of the Silent Night Nativity Scene at Ried im Innkreis. 23 November – Christmas market “Altstadt Steyr”. Traditional christmas market with 23 December 2018 highlights, like “Schmiedeweihnacht” – they show the work of a smith on 8 and 9 December 2018. 23 November - Christmas romance at Stille-Nacht-Platz, Oberndorf. Tour across two 24 December 2018 Christmas markets and Special Post Office – every letter receives a special stamp. 24 November - Christmas in the mountains at Achensee, Tyrol. 27 December 2018 25 November 2018 Festive inauguration of the restored “Gruber organ” in Hallein’s parish church. 25 November 2018 Lantern hike along the way of peace at Hochburg-Ach with regard to the 231st birthday of Franz Xaver Gruber. 25 November 2018 Premier reading of the Silent-Night-detective novel from Manfred Baumann at 17:00 at Silent Night Museum Arnsdorf and the pilgrimage church “Maria im Mösl”. 26 November - “Silent Night” Christmas tour at Christkindlmarkt Salzburg. Every Monday 17 December 2018 at 16:00. 27 November 2018 - “Silent Night! Holy Night!” for kids at the toy museum, Salzburg. 3 February 2019 Everything is about Christmas eve. 30 November - Christmas of cultures, Wagrain-Kleinarl. With culinary specialities, tastes 2 December 2018 of delicious food and kids-bakery. Food and handcrafts from Wagrain and the host country meet each other. Christmas mass of cultures on 2 December at 8:30 at parish church, Wagrain. 30 November - „Stille Nacht wandern in den Advent“. Pilgrimage hike from Hochburg-Ach 2 December 2018 to Berndorf via the Ibmer Moor 30 November 2018 - Special Post Office “Christkindl” at Steyr, Upper Austria. Every letter 6 January 2019 receives a special stamp. 30 November - Christmas oratorio of the philharmonic Salzburg at the pilgrimage church 1 December and Arnsdorf, Lamprechtshausen. 14/15 December 2018
1-22 December Thoughtful Christmas hike at Hintersee. Hike to the Joseph Mohr Memory 2018 Chapel and evening mass at the parish church, Hintersee. 1-22 December Christmas at Hippach, Tyrol. Thoughtful introduction to a quiet Christmas. 2018 1-16 December Original Salzburg Advent at the church St. Andrä. 2018 1 December 2018 Christmas hike “Walk into Christmas” at Mariapfarr, Lungau. at 18:00 1/2 December 2018 Christmas market Hintersee. With craftwork, a Christmas hike to the Joseph Mohr Memory Chapel and a thoughtful Christmas mass. 1/2 December 2018 Advent Serenaden Salzburg. With a critical view of the 200-years anniversary of “Silent Night! Holy Night!”. 1/2 December and Historical re-enactment “Which brought salvation to the world” at Oberndorf. 8/9 December 2018 2 December 2018 Silent-Night-pilgrimage hike along the pilgrimage way VIA NOVA at at 14:00 Hochburg-Ach. 2 December 2018 Magic Christmas in the province of “Silent Night” at Flachauer Gutshof. at 17:00 and Anniversary show according to 200 years Silent Night. 3 December 2018 Presentation in TV on ORF 2 and BR at the prime time. at 17:00 4 December 2018 Singing at the Gruber-Grave on the occasion of his anniversary of death. at 10:00 The pupils from primary school sing at his grave at Wagrain. 5 December 2018 Culture walk at Wagrain. Information about Joseph Mohr, Karl Heinrich at 10:00 Waggerl and the history about Wagrain. 6 December 2018 Franz Xaver Gruber. Despite the fate. Theater at Alte Schmiede, Hallein. at 19:30 7 December 2018 Public guided tour through the Museum Pflegerschlössl at Wagrain. at 14:00 7-16 December 2018 “Hirtenadvent” – Christmas of the shepherd at Salzburg “Otherwise it would be a dream” at the big hall at the University of Salzburg. 8 December 2018 Special Post Office “Christkindl” at the Silent-Night-Museum Pflegerschlössl at 14:00 Wagrain. 8 December 2018 Magical lights at the Fügen Castle, Tyrol. at 16:00 8 December 2018 A special time in the year. Charity-event from “Salzburger Landeshilfe” at at 17:30 Stiftung Mozarteum. 8 December 2018 “The quietest night at Steyr” anniversary concert with 1000 choir singers at 18:00 from Upper- and Lower Austria. 8/9 December 2018 Silent Night Concert with the jazz musician Sabina Hank und star violinist at 19:30 Benjamin Schmid at Gut Wildshut, St. Pantaleon.
8 December 2018 „Silent Night in loud times” – concert for orchestra and chorus. at 20:00 Premiere at the parish Church Wagrain. 8/9 December 2018 “Ways to the Silent Night” Mariensingen – choral music in praise of the Virgin Mary at the church at Mülln, Salzburg. 9 December 2018 1. Christmas Pilgrimage at Mariapfarr, Lungau. 14-16 December Mauracher und Mohr – Stories about the Silent Night. A musical theater- 2018 evening at Fügen, Tyrol. 14-16 December Historical re-enactment “The Search for the Silent Night” and Christmas 2018 market at Hochburg-Ach. 15 December 2018 Advent coming together “Auf Weihnachten zua” at Pilgrimage Church Maria Plain. 17-21 December Silent Night – sing with me. Elisabeth Fuchs & friends sing together with 2018 you known and unknown Christmas carols. With a short Franz Xaver Gruber guided tour through the primary school, Arnsdorf. 21-23 December Singing play „The true history“ at Schwaz, Tirol. The play is about the 2018 history of the family “Strasser” from “Zillertal”, Tyrol. 24 December 2018 Christmas celebration for kids at the pilgrimage church Maria Dürrnberg, at 16:00 Hallein. 24 December 2018 Commemorative ceremony and Gruber-Mohr-Memorial Route at at 16:30 Arnsdorf. Thoughtful torchlight hike along the historic Gruber-Mohr-Way directly to the Silent-Night-Chapel Oberndorf. 24 December 2018 Traditional Silent-Night- Commemorative ceremony at Oberndorf, at 17:00 Salzburg. 24 December 2018 Introduction to Christmas Eve at Mariapfarr, Lungau. With free entrance at 17:00 to the Silent-Night-Museum. 24 December 2018 Singing at the Gruber-Grave – the last resting-place from Franz-Xaver at 17:00 Gruber with the singing group Hallein. 24 December 2018 “Ways to the Silent Night” midnight fair at the church at Mülln, Salzburg. at 23:00 26 December 2018 Joseph Mohr Memory Singing at Wagrain-Kleinarl.