The "Salzburger Theater- und Musiksommer" is cancelled

On 29 July, a week before the “Summer of Theatre and Music” was to begin, an order arrived from Propaganda Minister Goebbels cancelling every festival in the Reich. Clemens Krauss exploited his close ties to the Berlin regime in order to salvage at least the dress rehearsal for the scheduled world première of Richard Strauss’s Die Liebe der Danae. The rehearsal duly took place on 16 August, with Viorica Ursuleac and Hans Hotter in the leading roles. The premiere was meant to honour the composer on his 80th birthday. Deeply moved after the performance, Strauss uttered his famous words to the Vienna Philharmonic: “I hope we shall see each other again in a better world.” Wilhelm Furtwängler also received special dispensation from Berlin to conduct Bruckner’s Eighth with the Vienna Philharmonic on 14 August.

1944: After the inofficial premiere (public dress rehearsal) of Die Liebe der Danae, from left to right: Horst Taubmann (Midas), composer Richard Strauss, Viorica Ursuleac (Danae) and Hans Hotter (Jupiter).

New production
Public dress rehearsal
Richard Strauss
Die Liebe der Danae
C: Clemens Krauss
D: Rudolf Hartmann
Ds/Cs: Emil Preetorius
Danae’s costume: Erni Kniepert
Festspielhaus

1 orchestral concert

Details of the several years:

1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944,