Culture 2008

SALZBURGER FESTSPIELE/CLÄRCHEN & MATTHIAS BAUS, FESTSPIELHAUS ST. PÖLTEN/COMPANIA MARIA
PAGES, WIENER FESTWOCHEN/VUKICA MIKACA
1 Passion on the stage at the Tanzsommer
Innsbruck. Pictured: New
York’s contemporary ballet troupe
Complexions
2 Every season a new production:
“Everyman”, the play about the
death of a rich man
3 Spanish fire in the Festspielhaus
St. Pölten
4 A celebration of art and urban culture:
the Vienna Festival. Pictured:
the “Circus Istorija”
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In addition to the guest appearances by
top-flight artists from abroad, the “Österreich
tanzt” festival is also held here,
where both prominent choreographers
and newcomers present a sampling of
the newest trends on the Austrian dance
scene.
One person who certainly doesn’t feel like
dancing is the poor, rich “Everyman”, who
is called before Death every year on the
open-air stage on Salzburg’s Domplatz.
Which by no means dampens the high
spirits of the audience: this highlight of the
Salzburg Festival is one of the top society
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Dance and theatre
* BREGENZER FRÜHLING. From March to
June 2008 the international dance festival in
the Festival Hall and Kongresshaus Bregenz
once again presents dance performances
ranging from classical to modern.
www.bregenzerfruehling.at
* FESTSPIELHAUS REICHENAU. In the
festival’s 20th season, from 4 July to 3 August,
leading actors from Vienna’s Burgtheater
will appear in Reichenau and on the
Semmering Pass, staging works by Goethe,
Zweig, Nestroy and Chekhov.
* SOMMERSZENE IN SALZBURG. With
the international avant-garde festival “Fest
des Tanzes”, from 27 June–19 July 2008,
the independent organisation “scene salzburg”
endeavours to move people with international
performance art.
* TANZSOMMER INNSBRUCK. For the
past 14 years the often sold-out events of
the International Tanzsommer have drawn
dance fans from all over Europe. This year’s
festival will be held from mid-June to mid-
July 08. www.tanzsommer.at
* VOLKSTHEATER WIEN. The “People’s
Theatre” features a varied performance
schedule, innovative productions and a
splendid ambience: a visit to the Volkstheater
is an unforgettable experience. A
true gem is the stylish “Red Bar”, on whose
small stage concerts and readings are held.
www.volkstheater.at
* OPERA BALL 2008. The perennial culmination
of the ball season takes place this year
on 31 Jan. 2008, again promising to be an
unparalleled society event. www.opernball.at
events of the year, attracting holidaymakers
and celebrities alike.
A large number of stages – some of
which are not actually stages at all – will be
the sites of the Vienna Festival, held every
year in the early summer. The venerable
Burgtheater, the legendary Gartenbau
cinema and the trendy “Badeschiff Wien”
(a container ship rebuilt to house a swimming
pool and restaurant) will all serve as
event venues, and the events are equally
diverse, ranging from the classical to the
unconventional. •
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