During the annual Salzburg Festival the idyllic Austrian town truly comes alive: the town's unique, historic and stunning venues host more than 172 performances over 44 days of the festival.

Running until August 31, the festival is a combination of gorgeous settings and first-rate productions, and has been drawing the best classical talent since the festival’s founding back in 1920. The Salzburg Festival remains synonymous with cultural glitz and glamour creating a unique atmosphere generated by the audiences, often attired in black tie and evening gowns, some arriving by limousine, others on their bicycle.

Philharmonic Orchestra

SF / Marco Borrelli

Salzburg Austria Philharmonic Orchestra credit SF-marco-borrelli-005 Christina Landshamer Sopran I , Elsa Benoit Sopran II , Tilman Lichdi Tenor , Wiener Singverein , Johannes Prinz Choreinstudierung , Wiener Philharmoniker ,Herbert Blomstedt Dirigent

Riccardo Muti, Conductor

SF / Marco Borrelli

Salzburg Austria philharmonic orchestra credit SFF marco-borrelli 2

The 2024 concert programme features a list of guest orchestras including the Vienna Philharmonic performing five concerts, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Herbert Blomstedt, Andris Nelsons and Riccardo Muti. The Orchester Utopia, Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Collegium Vocale 1704, West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Berliner Philharmonic, Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra and ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra are also highly anticipated. As are the "Ouverture Spirituelle", Mozart Matinees, lieder recitals, chamber and church concerts.

Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s famous stage play Jedermann ( Everyman) has been performed at the Festival since it was launched in 1920 directed by Max Reinhardt. In 2024 the new production features Philipp Hochmair in the title role and Deleila Piasko as his paramour.

Mozart's Don Giovanni

SF / Monika Rittershaus

Salzburg Austria Opera Don Giovanni cedit SF monica ritterhaus

Mozart's Don Giovanni

SF / Monika Rittershaus

Salzburg Austria Opera Don Giovanni 2 credit SF monika-rittershaus-010

This year’s opera productions feature revolutionary characters shown in Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Mozart's Don Giovanni, La Clemenza di Tito, Prokofiev's The Gambler, and Weinberg's The Idiot.

Jung & Jede*r, a children's and youth programme, features more than fifty performances as well as a mentoring programmes, opera camps for nine to seventeen year olds, introductory talks on productions and meet the artist exchange programmes.

And, last but not least, an incredible discount of up to 90 percent is available for those under 27 years of age to appeal to the youth. What a wonderful way to introduce the Festival to growing culture buffs.

Salzburg Festival (Salzburger Festspiele), from July 19 - August 31, salzburgerfestspiele.at

Sabina Llewellyn-Davies