Salzburg Festival 2016 all set to play the epicentre of music and drama

Salzberg Festival is loaded with a wide range of performances which are brilliant enough to attract people of all age groups. Since 1920, the festival is being held at the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for five weeks every summer.

Music for young ears
A new addition to the program this year is the opera The Fairy Queen for Children by Henrik Albrecht, based on motifs from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Fairy Queen, designed to introduce children aged six and over to the works of William Shakespeare and Henry Purcell. The opera, performed by members of the Young Singers Project, will also give audiences a glimpse behind the scenes.

Opera meets musical theatre
Jerome Robbins’ operatic interpretation of the classic Broadway show West Side Story loses none of its American and Puerto Rican passion, bringing a burst of energy and dance to the festival. Tickets for the show have been in such high demand that organizers have opened the dress rehearsal to the public.

Children’s festival
The free Siemens>Children’s>Festival, taking place during the afternoons on the city’s Kapitelplatz, is aimed at children aged five and over. The festival screens family-friendly musical films using Siemens’ daylight-compatible technology.

The Salzburg Festival and Theatre Children’s Choir (Salzburger Festspiele und Theater Kinderchor) enables young singers to perform alongside world-famous musicians. This year, the choir will give its own performance as part of the ‘Ouverture spirituelle’, dedicated to Salzberg’s rich musical history.

(With AFP inputs)