Gmunden Festival Weeks

A young love affair and ballads as a rave

Philipp Hochmair rocks Schiller with his band Elektrohand Gottes(Bild: Stephan Brückler)

The Salzkammergut Festival Weeks in Gmunden bring many stage stars and audience favorites to Lake Traunsee this summer. Karin Bergmann clears out the municipal theater for a fresh new production of Schnitzler's "Liebelei". Shock painter Helnwein, two of whose paintings were removed from the city space, now has an exhibition.

"A woman who doesn't fit into the traditional image of a male-dominated society makes Schnitzler topical," says Karin Bergmann, head of the theater department at the Salzkammergut Festival. She is bringing the classic "Liebelei" to the Stadttheater Gmunden as a young production, premiering on Thursday, July 11.

After removal of the pictures, now a retrospective
The renowned actor Samuel Finzi can be seen alongside actors from the Landestheater Linz, directed by Anna Stiepani. An exhibition by the scandalous artist Gottfried Helnwein will open at the Kammerhofmuseum Gmunden on June 13; two of his shock paintings recently had to be removed from the façade of the municipal theater, as we reported. Now, however, there will be a comprehensive exhibition of his work.

Gottfried Helnwein has an exhibition of his work in Gmunden(Bild: Andreas Tischler / Vienna Press)

The Festwochen opening on June 28 at the Stadttheater will focus on "Central questions, big emotions". Sona MacDonald, Markus Meyer and Petra Morzé read world literature. On Sunday, July 7, the popular Salzkammergut Open Air of the Bruckner Orchestra Linz will take place in Toscana Park, with the great opera singer Erwin Schrott performing.

Manuel Rubey (19. 7.) and stars such as Michael Maertens and Marie-Luise Stockinger (26. 7.) also have readings. On August 2, "Jedermann" Philipp Hochmair will be in Gmunden with a "Schiller Ballads Rave".