Programme 2024

Ahead of me the South ...

… this is the name of a cinematic homage to Pier Paolo Pasolini and his Italy. And in his »Italian Journey«, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe makes the Greek Arcadia his place of longing.

We are all united by a longing for the South: for sun, light and broad horizons. At the 2024 Salzburg Easter Festival, we will therefore be embarking on a musical journey through Italy, the cradle of opera.

In 2024, we are inviting artists from Rome, the Eternal City, to present a Festival programme for you: the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is one of the oldest musical institutions in the world and is home to an excellent choir and the most important symphony orchestra in Italy. This top orchestra is led by long-time principal conductor Antonio Pappano.

Salzburg has enjoyed several centuries of close links with Italy: through the Church, through music – through Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart most of all – and through a theatrical, playful attitude to life itself. We want to revisit this historical bond and explore Italy in all its facets: in opera, concert, song and dance.

So come to Salzburg! At Easter 2024, you will find that you, too, are »in Arcadia«.

NIKOLAUS BACHLER
Intendant of the Salzburg Easter Festival

La Gioconda
Amilcare Ponchielli

Antonio Pappano conducts the rarely performed work - for the first time at the Easter Festival - in a new production by British director Oliver Mears. The German visual artist Philipp Fürhofer is responsible for the stage design, and Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann and Luca Salsi will sing.

Choral Concert
Giuseppe Verdi

In 2024, Verdi's famous Requiem is on the programme - the Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia knows the work like no other and has performed it more than 80 times. The solo parts are cast with Sonya Yoncheva, Judit Kutasi, Jonas Kaufmann and Michele Pertusi. The orchestra is reinforced by the Coro dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia and the Bachchor Salzburg.

Orchestral Concert I
LUIGI BOCCHERINI / LUCIANO Berio, AMILCARE PONCHIELLI,
VICTOR DE SABATA,
OTTORINO RESPIGHI
RESPIGHI

Italy as seen through the eyes of Italian composers is the thread that connects the pieces in our Orchestral Concert I conducted by Antonio Pappano. The programme includes masterpieces by Luigi Boccherini, Amilcare Ponchielli, Victor de Sabata and Ottorino Respighi.

Orchestral Concert II
HECTOR BERLIOZ,
BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ

Orchestral Concert II is also dedicated to Italy, but this time with works by non-Italian composers who show their view of the country. The guest conductor is Jakub Hrůša, Principal Guest Conductor of Santa Cecilia, who will present music by Berlioz and Martinů.

Song Recital I
Christian Gerhaher

Baritone Christian Gerhaher and Gerold Huber, his long-time partner at the piano, have put together a programme of selected songs by Johannes Brahms for you.

Song Recital II
Lise Davidsen, Freddie De Tommaso

The celebrated soprano Lise Daviden makes her Salzburg debut with this recital and, together with tenor Freddie De Tommaso and pianist James Baillieu, creates an evening of arias, songs and duets from Wagner and Verdi to Puccini and Tosti.

Introductory Lecture »La Gioconda«
»La Gioconda«

With Intendant Nikolaus Bachler
Organized by the Association of Patrons of the Salzburg Easter Festival

Dance & Electro

The Easter Festival intends continuing the newly founded dance and electro programme in 2024, and will be inviting internationally known artists to engage with the topic of Italy and the South. Details will be announced at a later date.