Breaches of contract

Festival head of drama Dawydowa has to go

The head of drama at the Salzburg Festival, Marina Davydova, has to leave after just one year. This was announced by the cultural institution today. The reason: breaches of contractual obligations on the part of the Russian-born actress.

Marina Davydova's engagement at the Salzburg Festival ends with a two-line e-mail to the public. Just a few days before the announcement of the program for 2025, the head of drama has to resign after just one season at the Salzach. 

"As a result of breaches of contractual duties, in particular Marina Dawydowa's work at a Berlin theater festival, which was neither reported nor approved, the Salzburg Festival has terminated the employment relationship with Marina Dawydowa with immediate effect," the Festival announced.

Board of Directors regrets development
The decision of the Board of Directors, consisting of President Kristina Hammer, Artistic Director Markus Hinterhäuser and Commercial Director Lukas Crepaz, was presented to and approved by the Board of Trustees. The Salzburg Festival Board of Directors deeply regrets this development.

In November 2022, it was announced that the author, director and artistic director (Vienna Festival, among others) was moving to Salzburg. The Russian-born artist's contract began on October 1, 2023 and was actually due to run until September 30, 2026.