July 20 – August 31

Gerard Mortier decides that the time is ripe for change, for a more innovative theater and “new aesthetic directions”: Peter Stein, who has been responsible for the great revival of the drama program during the past years and whose standard-setting productions brought many new visitors to the Festival, says farewell with a production of Grillparzer’s Libussa – Ivan Nagel is his designated successor. The opera program is marked by two cycles. The first is dedicated to three milestones of the 20th century: Abbado and Stein interpret Berg’s Wozzeck, Cambreling and Wilson take on Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande, and Esa-Pekka Salonen and Peter Sellars present the world premiere of Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre in its revised version. The second cycle is dedicated to Mozart’s opera seria works and presents the triad of Mitridate, Lucio Silla and Titus. François Abou Salem’s interpretation of The Abduction from the Seraglio, a voyage to the Arab and Muslim culture and to the troubled region of the Middle East, makes waves. Achim Freyer’s version of The Magic Flute, on the other hand, set in a circus tent, beguiles audiences with a naïve charm. The concert program pays homage with concert series dedicated to Franz Schubert and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, both of whom have anniversaries; in the meantime, Karlheinz Essl and Matthias Pintscher continue the Next Generation series.

1997: Exit Peter Stein. Ivan Nagel is named new theatre director.

New production
Franz Grillparzer
Libussa
Stage director: Peter Stein
Sets and costumes: Moidele Bickel
Perner-Insel Hallein

Coproduction with the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain
William Shakespeare
Othello
Stage director: Sam Mendes
Sets and costumes: Anthony Ward
Perner-Insel Hallein

Coproduction with the International Mozarteum Foundation
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mitridate
Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington
Stage director: Jonathan Miller
Stage sets: Peter J. Davison
Costumes: Frida Parmeggiani
Kleines Festspielhaus

Coproduction with the Opéra National de Paris
Claude Debussy
Pelléas et Mélisande
Conductor: Sylvain Cambreling
Stage director and sets: Robert Wilson
Costumes: Frida Parmeggiani
Großes Festspielhaus

New production
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Conductor: Marc Minkowski
Stage director: François Abou Salem
Sets and costumes: Francine Gaspar
Residenzhof

Coproduction with "Szene" Salzburg
Digital version of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Conductor: Peter Valentin
Stage director: Hubert Lepka
Costumes: Kasha, World's End, Marion Hackl
Computer & Video: Stefan Aglassinger
Stadtkino

First performance of the revised version
Coproduction with the Théâtre du Châtelet Paris
György Ligeti
Le Grand Macabre
Conductor: Esa-Pekka Salonen
Stage director: Peter Sellars
Stage sets: George Tsypin
Costumes: Dunya Ramicova
Großes Festspielhaus

New production
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Die Zauberflöte
Conductor: Christoph von Dohnányi
Stage director, sets and costumes: Achim Freyer
Felsenreitschule

Coproduction with the Easter Festival Salzburg
Alban Berg
Wozzeck
Conductor: Claudio Abbado
Stage director: Peter Stein
Stage sets: Stefan Mayer
Costumes: Moidele Bickel
Großes Festspielhaus

Revivals: Jedermann, Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind, La clemenza di Tito, Lucio Silla, Boris Godunow

Choir and Orchestral Concerts, Cycles: „Schubert with Claudio Abbado“, „Schubert with Gidon Kremer“, „Mendelssohn and Friends“ with Steven Isserlis, „Next Generation“ (Karlheinz Essl, Matthias Pintscher), 5 Lied Recitals, 6 Solo Recitals, 5 Chamber Concerts, 10 Matinees, Festival Zeitfluss, Church Concert, 8 Literary Recitals

Festredner Christoph Ransmayr: „Die dritte Luft oder Eine Bühne am Meer“

Details of the several years:

1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,