Salzburg Festival 2012

20 July to 02 September 2012

July 2012

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Grosses Festspielhaus (Great Festival Hall)

 

The Grosses Festspielhaus (Large Festival Hall) was built according to plans by the architect Clemens Holzmeister. Work began in 1956, when 55,000 cubic meters of stone were blasted from the side of the M?nchsberg mountain to make room for the enormous backstage area. At 100 meters' width (including the wings) it is one of the largest stages in the world. The Grosses Festspielhaus was opened on 26 July 1960 with a ceremony and a performance of Richard Strauss¡äs Rosenkavalier conducted by Herbert von Karajan. The auditorium is square, measuring 35 x 35 m and seating 2,179. From the Hofstallgasse, public access is through five bronze doors. The facade bears a Latin motto by Thomas Michels

OSB: SACRA CAMENAE DOMUS / CONCITIS CARMINE PATET / QUO NOS ATTONITOS / NUMEN AD AURAS FERAT.
(The Muse's holy house is open to those moved by song; divine power bears us up who are inspired.)

Haus für Mozart (House for Mozart)

The Kleines Festspielhaus (Small Festival Hall) was rebuilt several times since its opening in 1925. In 1937 the seating was rotated by 180 degrees, necessitating additional building to accomodate the stage area. To make this possible, the Provincial Governor at the time Franz Rehrl allowed his birthplace in the Toscaninihof to be pulled down. The Kleine Festspielhaus was redecorated in 1939 by Benno von Arendt, and the wooden paneling was replaced by a gilded plaster ceiling.

The auditorium was about 55 metres long. This was ideal neither acoustically nor for the sightlines, so the house was remodeled again in 1962/63 by the Salzburg architects Hans Hofmann and Erich Engels, giving the hall the form it retained until 31 August 2004. The former Kleines Festspielhaus has been reopened as the House for Mozart on 26 July 2006.

Grosses Universitätsaula (Great Hall of the University)

The main auditorium of the University of Salzburg, founded in 1622 by the Benedictines, was one of the most important venues for baroque religious theater as early as the 17th and 18th centuries. Its construction began in 1631 as Aula Maior, part of the university complex, following a model by the cathedral's Master Builder, Santino Solari - a process that took 24 years.

The paintings depicting the "Secrets of the Rosary" from 1636/37 (by Adrian Blomaert and Zacharias Miller, among others) document its second, secular use as a congregation hall. After the auditorium was consecrated in 1654 by Archbishop Paris Lodron, the founder of the University of Salzburg, a permanent theater was installed in 1660. In 1782, the theater was closed.

After numerous renovations and alterations (the latest ones from 2003 to 2005: the architects for the new entrance stairwell were Georg Huber and Karl Meinhart; interior spaces designed according to plans by architect Franz Fonatsch; the awarding authority was the Federal Real Estate Company, generously supported by Salzburg's patrons of the arts Donald and Jeanne Kahn, the Federal Government and the State of Salzburg), it was reopened with a ceremony on Mozart's 249th birthday, January 27, 2005.

The Main Auditorium of the University of Salzburg is located in the Old University Building in the heart of Salzburg's historic center, in Furtwänglerpark at the Max-Reinhardt-Platz in the Festival district.

Felsenreitschule (Former Summer Riding School)

The Felsenreitschule came into being in the 17th century at the site where conglomerate stone for building the present cathedral was quarried. Under Archbishop Johann Ernst Thun, the Felsenreitschule was carved from the rock of the Mönchsberg, according to plans by the baroque master builder Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. At that time the Felsenreitschule was used for animal baiting and riding displays.

The public watched from 96 arcades arranged in three tiers. In 1926 Max Reinhardt first undertook the experiment of using the Felsenreitschule for a Festival production, staging Goldoni's The Servant of Two Masters. In 1933 Clemens Holzmeister erected the so-called "Faust city" there, some of the most impressive stage scenery ever. Herbert von Karajan first used the Felsenreitschule to perform an operatic production, Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, in 1948.

There was a major transformation in 1969/70, again according to plans by Clemens Holzmeister. The 40 m stage was enlarged by a 4 m deep area beneath the stage. Collapsable seating for the audience with storage space for scenery underneath was added, as was a lighting gantry. To protect the stage a retractable roof was installed with a fine grille above it to dampen the sound of the rain. This roof can be slid open. The Felsenreitschule holds an audience of 1.437.

Schüttkasten (Former granary)

In 1693 Archbishop Johann Ernst Thun had galleries carved out of the rock of the Mönchsberg for his summer riding school, now the Felsenreitschule. A little later, in 1696, and on the other side of the Court Stables, today's Grosses Festspielhaus, he had grain and hay lofts built, called the Schöttkasten, which has served as a modern communications centre for the Salzburg Festival since 1996. The building houses the Ticket Office, the Archives, and in the basement, a large gallery space. For the staircase the Austrian painter Hubert Schmalix, who lives in Los Angeles, created a fresco called Orpheus and Eurydice. On the north side is the entrance to the rehearsal hall, highly praised by musicians for its acoustics.

Stiftskirche St. Peter (St. Peter Abbey Church)

The monastery church St. Peter is the centerpiece of the Benedictine abbey of the same name, the oldest monastery in the German-speaking countries. The church building from the early middle ages was replaced by the current building in the high Romanesque style, first erected in 1147. They many alterations reflect the changeful history of the monastery. Under Abbot Beda Seeauer, the tower received its characteristic shape in 1754/56 with a richly structured onion dome; the interior of the church was renewed in late baroque splendor by native and foreign artists.

Kollegienkirche (University Church)

The Kollegienkirche (Collegiate Church) was built under Archbishop Johann Ernst Count Thun as a new church for the Benedictine University, founded as early as 1620. In 1707, the edifice, begun according to plans by Johann Fischer von Erlach, was consecrated; the interior decoration was carried out during the following two decades. With its extraordinarily steep proportions, the interior is among the most unusual and impressive creations of European baroque style. The short transept and the cupola are located exactly in the center of the space. With its renunciation of painting and the sparse use of stucco and sculptures, the space makes an austere impression, concentrated exclusively on the effect of the architecture.

Stiftung Mozarteum Großer Saal

The Mozarteum was built between 1910 and 1914 according to plans by the Munich architect Richard Berndl. The building, an example of the ornamental art noveau, blends harmoniously with the historic architecture of Salzburg. The monumental concert-hall wing, enclosing the auditorium with seating for 807, is accessible through a vestibule with the bronze statue "Mozart as Musag¨¨te". The hall is particularly suitable for concerts given by small and medium-sized ensembles.

Perner-Insel, Hallein

The large historical industrial complex on the Perner-Insel (Perner-Island) in the middle of the Salzach at Hallein was used for salt production until 1989. The buildings were then declared landmarks, and part of the complex was remodeled for artistic productions and is regularly used by the Salzburg Festival. The salt works on Perner-Island ware turned into a performance space in only 80 days in 1992. In 1998, seating capacity was expanded and an intermission foyer was added.

Productions take place in a space with variable seating for an audience of up to 800. The stage and auditorium in the former brine-washing hall can be arranged to suit the staging needs of each production. The acoustics can be modified using variable wall coverings and ceiling reflectors. The stage machinery can be adjusted to the needs of a production and can be installed and modified as required. The same goes for lighting and electroacoustics. Technical equipment conforms to the standards of the other Festival halls.

Worldwide Ticketing provides Tickets and Tour Packages to Salzburg Festival 2012
For more information on Salzburg Festival 2012, please contact us here