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Salzburg Festival

The Salzburg Festival is one of the world's largest and in artistically most renowned festivals. Concert, opera and theater are its three central elements.

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Two elegantly dressed people stand in a street overlooked by a castle atop a hill, in Salzburg, Austria.

2024 Salzburg Festival: Between heaven and hell

The famous Salzburg Festival opens on July 19 with a speech by Russian-American professor Nina Khrushcheva.
MusicJuly 19, 2024
The Festspielhaus in Salzburg Austria.

Salzburg Festival's centenary celebrations extended

Global stars like Anna Netrebko are coming to Salzburg to celebrate its 2020 anniversary — despite COVID.
CultureJuly 16, 2021
Two women wearing face masks cleaning orange theater chairs

The Salzburg Festival was never canceled

The Austrian music festival was one of the rare major events held live in 2020. The "miracle of Salzburg" keeps going.
CultureMay 19, 2021
Bayreuth Festival's main performance venue, the Richard Wagner Festspielhaus

What's up in classical music festivals for 2021?

Organizers in Germany and Austria are hopeful even as they present modified plans for spring and summer concerts.
CultureFebruary 12, 2021
Daniil Trifonov

Daniil Trifonov: Mental practice and artistic vision

The much-lauded piano virtuoso told DW what's in store for Trifonov fans in the near future.
MusicSeptember 12, 2020
Martin Grubinger holds a colorful array of drumsticks

Percussionist Martin Grubinger rethinks music

Inundate the country with good music, says the Austrian percussionist.
MusicSeptember 7, 2020
Actors Tobias Moretti (Jedermann), Caroline Peters (Buhlschaft) on stage performing in front of a giant pink cake with candles

Salzburg Festival director: 'Arts are indispensable'

Markus Hinterhäuser made the festival possible in the pandemic but would find another such season difficult to imagine.
ArtsSeptember 1, 2020
Musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic stand and receive ovations

The Salzburg Festival defies the coronavirus

The prominent Austrian festival of music and drama has ended: Impressions from the last days at the Salzburg Festival.
ArtsAugust 31, 2020
Salzburger Festspiele Così fan tutte 2020 Joana Mallwitz

First woman to conduct a Salzburg opera series

Joana Mallwitz is making waves in the classical music world, and her debut at the Salzburg Festival is a highlight.
MusicAugust 19, 2020
In an elegant courtly setting, a woman in an extravagant dress and a bewigged man with a walking stick (Archiv der Salzburger Festspiele/Ellinger)

100 years of the Salzburg Festival

One of the world's top festivals of opera, serious music and theater is a century old.
CultureJuly 31, 202012 images
On an opera set, in black and white: Woman in elegant dress in a courtly chamber, bewigged man with a walking stick (Archiv der Salzburger Festspiele/Ellinger)

How the Salzburg Festival came to Salzburg 100 years ago

A poet, a composer and a director launched what was to become one of the world's most prestigious festivals.
CultureJuly 31, 2020
Österreich Salzburg Festspielpause in der Hofstallgasse

Salzburg Festival to be held despite COVID-19 restrictions

The festival celebrates its 100th anniversary. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, its program has more events than expected.
CultureJune 10, 2020
Opernsänger Peter Schreier gestorben

Veteran German opera star Peter Schreier dies

Trained in the former East Germany, he performed in more than 60 operatic roles — from New York to Milan to Salzburg.
CultureDecember 26, 2019
Salzburger Festspiele | Theaterstück: Jedermann

In Salzburg, 'Everyman' is an investment banker

With "Jedermann" opening the 99th Salzburg Festival, actress Valery Cheplanova is decked out as a vamp in a pants suit.
CultureJuly 22, 2019
Salzburger Festspiele (picture alliance/APA/Wild & Team/picturedesk.com)

The Salzburg Festival celebrates tradition and innovation

This year's Salzburg Festival has plenty to offer culture lovers. Performers on the roster are some of world's best.
CultureJuly 20, 2018
Shirin Neshat

Why Shirin Neshat complicates 'Aida' at Salzburg Festival

With Anna Netrebko in the title role, Verdi's "Aida" got a fresh staging at this year's Salzburg Festival.
CultureAugust 7, 2017
Anna Netrebko

Netrebko to star in 'Aida' at Salzburg Festival

There is new management and a new version of Hofmannsthal's "Everyman." The festival is off to a new start.
CultureJuly 21, 2017
Felsenreitschule Copyright: Oskar Anrather

What to expect at the Salzburg Festival

The Salzburg Festival is star-studded yet again - but this year, it could easily become a one-man show.
July 22, 2016
Bildergalerie Salzburger Festspiele 2015 Wiener Philharmoniker

From Anna Netrebko to Placido Domingo: The Salzburg Festival in pictures

The Salzburg Festival tightened its belt this year, but critics still expected more from the famous event.
MusicAugust 28, 201511 images
The Felsenreitschule in Salzburg. Photo: Andreas Schaad/dapd

Opening of the Salzburg Festival

The world's biggest classical festival begins on July 18.
July 17, 2015
Jedermann 2014 Brigitte Hobmeier (Paramour)

Superlative performances

The Salzburg Festival got underway on July 18 and 19 with a performance of "Jedermann."
July 20, 2014
A scene from the 2014 production of Hugo von Hoffmansthal's "Jedermann"

Star-studded Salzburg Festival begins

Nearly 300 events ranging from operas and concerts to plays are planned in Mozart's city of birth.
July 18, 2014
Nike Wagner

On Gerard Mortier

Beethovenfest Bonn head Nike Wagner recalls the legendary festival director in this interview.
March 13, 2014
Scene from 'The Labyrinth'

Magic in the air

Much has changed in the 90-year history of the Salzburg Festival, but the event's magic remains.
August 24, 2012
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Soprano Julia Novikova makes her Salzburg Festival Debut

We meet young Russian opera singer Julia Novikova as she prepares for her Salzburg Festival debut in the Igor Stravinsky opera Le Rossignol (The Nightingale). The Salzburg Festival first took place in 1920. In 2011 it opens on July 27 and continues until August 30.
LifestyleAugust 17, 201103:39 min
Ingo Metzmacher looks on at his reflection in glass

Salzburg Festival

Acclaimed conductor Ingo Metzmacher talked with DW about how he helps audiences open their ears.
October 18, 2010
Joyce DiDonato on stage in Der Rosenklavier by Strauss

Star singer

During an award-winning year for vocalist Joyce DiDonato, she talked with DW about her career.
October 18, 2010

Salzburg Festival celebrates anniversaries and world premiere

July 28, 2010

August 2010: DW's culture calendar

From music and art to film and dance - find out what's going on in Germany's cultural scene. Deutsche Welle has compiled a list of this month's highlights.
July 22, 2010
Performers on stage for a dress rehearsal of a scene of Mozart's opera "Cosi fan Tutte

Exclusive Salzburg Festival broadens audience with Mozart Webcast

The Salzburg Festival, one of Europe's most elite cultural events, is reaching out to a wider audience. Its first Webcast of Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte" debuts at just a fraction of the live ticket price.
July 30, 2009
Juergen Flimm speaking

New Opera Manager

Salzburg Festival director Juergen Flimm moves to Berlin to head the Berlin State Opera.
December 23, 2008