Salzburg’s Summer Festival continues to provide the highest standards of performance with a healthy mix of timeless values and cutting-edge ideas. After somewhat turbulent times, it has emerged in the last decade with its reputation undimmed, even enhanced, the controversial innovations and artistic policies having served to renew and revitalise an institution which could so easily have slipped into complacent decline.

Our selection this year includes an amazing line-up of great conductors, singers and orchestras. There is also a unique opportunity to see Mozart’s Magic Flute paired with its sequel, Peter Winter’s The Labyrinth, to a text by Schikanaeder (the librettist of Flute). Premiered in 1798, it was a huge success, with nearly eighty performances by 1805. This almost forgotten opera extends the adventures of Pamina, Tamino and Sarastro with theatrical bravado, spectacular scenery and captivating music by Winter, the chief composer to the Bavarian Court.

All this in one of the loveliest cities in Europe. Salzburg is crammed between a fast-flowing river and steep-sided hills, with domes and towers and a formidable castle – the largest in Central Europe – rising above a wonderfully picturesque streetscape. A virtually independent city-state until the nineteenth century, it was ruled by Prince-Archbishops many of whom were lavish patrons of architecture and music.
There are daily talks on the music and a gentle programme of walks and drives to see the best of the art, architecture and landscape in the vicinity. But there is also plenty of free time to relax and gather energies for the performances. The prevalence of afternoon performances means that three of the evenings are without music, allowing for a leisurely dinner and an early night.

Read the itinerary