Page 336 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

334  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

Live Music and Concerts most traditional music festival,
opens its doors every summer
It’s true: the hills are alive with the sound of music. However, to thousands of music­lovers
there is much more to be enjoyed musically in this tuneful who revel in the beautiful
land than the Rogers and Hammerstein song with angel- castles and Baroque abbeys
voiced siblings. Austria’s annual classical music festivals which form the backdrop for
the events. Matinees at Schloss
attract the world’s premier artists and musicians to stunning Esterházy offer a wonderful
venues where the music was often originally performed. chance to experience the music
Whether in Mozart’s Innsbruck or Haydn’s Eisenstadt, the of Haydn in the very rooms
settings are as spectacular as the melodies. Also, it is possible where the composer himself
to leap out of the cradle of classical music and straight into worked and where many of
his compo sitions were first
a leather-lined folk evening, a vibrant electronic music scene performed. In Radstadt’s
or club DJs who are famous across Europe, such as DJ Ötzi. Renaissance palace of Höch
Music programmes vary each year but each of the following near Flachau, Paul-Hofhaimer
summer festivals is an annual extravaganza of sound. Days offers early music and new
sounds. Past festivals have
provided a mixed bag of the
Opera and Operetta Classical Concerts oratories, varying from The Four
and Festivals
Though Vienna’s reputation for Seasons by Haydn to King David
opera is renowned, the rest of The concert halls of Austria are by Honecker. Since 1978, the
the country’s operatic contribu­ the mainstay of classical music Innsbruck Festival of Ancient
tion should not be overlooked. in the country, and you will find Music has delighted concert­
There is no better example of a concerts in both small towns goers with its grand halls and
perfect harmony of space and and the grand provincial diverse programmes.
sound than the Bregenz Festival. capitals. Perhaps most famous is In addition to mixing music
Its dramatic 20 m (66 ft) stage the Salzburg Festival (see p331), with grand architecture, other
floats atop the dark waters of the inter nationally recognized pleasing combinations are on
Lake Constance. Past audiences festival celebrating classical offer. Schloss Grafenegg music
have enjoyed the strains of music, opera and drama. Every festival, the brain child of top
Puccini’s Tosca and Verdi’s Il summer thousands come from contemporary pianist Rudolf
Trovatore. As well as the head­ around the world to listen to Buchbinder, combines tastings
line performance, other musical the world’s greatest plays and from Austria’s top vineyards with
works are performed in the music. The main Festspielhaus musical programmes. Similarly,
Festival Hall. (festival hall) has been impres­ the Brucknerfest Linz features a
Also on a floating stage, the sively refurbished. dynamic combination of
Mörbisch Festival on the Lake Lesser known is the small classical music and modern
celebrated its 50th anniversary Salzburg Whitsun Festival, media art.
of operetta in the open air with inaugurated by Herbert van The rural charm of the
Vienna Blood by Johann Strauss Karajan in 1967. It includes Bregenzerwald region goes
in 2007. delightful comic opera pieces well with the music of Schubert
In Upper Austria, opera­lovers and chamber concerts. The and his contemporaries. The
flock in large numbers to Bad festival takes place annually annual Schubertiade in
Ischl, the former summer hunting over four days. Schwarzenberg boasts some
retreat of Emperor Franz Josef, for The Haydn Festival in 70 events, including chamber
the Lehár Festival. Also nearby is Eisenstadt each September concerts, song evenings,
the extraordinary Roman quarry is a high point of the concert readings and master classes,
of St Margarethen – the back drop season calendar. The works of attended by more than
for the Burgenland Opera Joseph Haydn are performed 70,000 Schubert fans.The little
Festival, with productions like against the works of other sister to this is Steyr’s Schubert
Verdi’s Nabucco. composers to show contrast Festival, offering a smaller cross­
The Tiroler Festspiele Erl in programmes expertly section of Schubert and his
is held in the lowlands of Tyrol selected by artistic director contemporaries.
every July. Founded by the Dr Walter Reicher. For lovers of something a little
conductor Gustav Kuhn, In September a splendid edgier, Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s
the festival features a mix of series of concerts dedicated to Styrian festival of classical music
opera and chamber music. the works of Johannes Brahms in Graz, Styriarte, is one of
Lighter fare is also on the takes place in Styria, home Austria’s leading festivals and is
menu for those new to opera. to the Brahms Museum and the probably the most avant­garde
The Steyr Music Festival has International Brahms Festival. the country has to offer outside
staged the musical Les Many festivals guarantee a Vienna. “Old masters, newly
Misérables and the Gluck’s feast for the ears and eyes. interpreted” is the description
opera Orfeo ed Euridice. Allegro Vivo, Lower Austria’s often heard.

334-335_EW_Austria.indd 334 12/09/17 3:05 pm