Off to Venice

Whitsun Festival takes you to the lagoon city

Cecilia Bartoli has been Artistic Director of the Salzburg Whitsun Festival since 2012.(Bild: Salzburg Festival/Decca/Emanuele Scorcelletti)

After Rome and Seville in previous years, Artistic Director Cecilia Bartoli is continuing her imaginary city trip as part of the Salzburg Whitsun Festival from June 6 to 9, 2025. Next year's program will focus on the sounds of the lagoon city of Venice.

Important musicians have worked in Venice from the Renaissance to modern times. For a long time, Venice was the center of music printing. The world's first opera house was opened here.

Names such as Rossini and Verdi, Gustav Mahler and Richard Wagner as well as Luigi Nono are associated with Venice. Cecilia Bartoli says of the new program "Sounds of the Serenissima": "During the Salzburg Whitsun Festival 2025, you will hear music from five centuries that was created in or for Venice or inspired by Venice. Friedrich Nietzsche summed up the description of this place like no other: 'If I look for another word for music, I only ever find the word Venice'."

The following pieces will be performed at the upcoming Whitsun Festival: "Hotel Metamorphosis" by director Barrie Kosky; Monteverdi's "Marienvesper"; Giuseppe Verdi's opera "La traviata" in concert form with soloists; Wagner's "Wesendonck-Lieder" as well as "....sofferte onde serene..."; John Neumeier's ballet "Death in Venice" and on Whit Monday Rossini will be performed, with the most beautiful numbers from his operas premiered in Venice - such as "La scala di seta", "L'italiana in Algeri", "Tancredi" and "Semiramide".