A tour through the Austrian festival summer
Austria is known for its many theaters, operas and performance stages. So when temperatures start climbing and evenings get longer during the warm season, it’s only natural that open air venues are taking centre stage. From Lake Neusiedl to Lake Constance, there are plenty of music festivals across the country to suit fans of all genres. Here is an overview of the 10 best-known events from the world of classical and contemporary music.
Pop and rock festivals
Whether you’re a pop fan or a metalhead – if you enjoy music in the open air, you’ll get your money’s worth all over Austria:
Donauinselfest
Picture: Donauinselfest 2024
Ever since the 1980s, Vienna’s Danube Island transforms into one of the largest European open-air stages every summer. Around three million people come to enjoy world-class acts from Austria and beyond on the festival stage over three days – admission is free. Past acts included Austrian pop greats Udo Jürgens, Falco and S.T.S., but contemporary artists like Christina Stürmer, Nico Santos and RAF Camora have also taken to the stage on the Danube Island.
Nova Rock
If heavy guitar riffs and drum solos are not really your thing, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Nickelsdorf, a small municipality in northern Burgenland. However, it is a well-known destination amongst rock fans for its Nova Rock Festival, the largest rock festival in the country since its inception 20 years ago. On the Pannonia Fields a few kilometres outside Nickeldorf, up to 100 bands and solo artists perform in front of around 200,000 rock fans on 3 to 4 festival days. The most famous headliners of the past have included a number of international rock greats, including acts such as Green Day, Slipknot, Placebo, Die Toten Hosen and Linkin Park.
Frequency
While rock fans make the annual pilgrimage to Nickelsdorf, the indie and pop world meets in St. Pölten. The Frequency Festival has been held in the Lower Austrian capital since 2009, attracting between 100,000 and 200,000 visitors every summer. The focus is on indie and alternative acts, but in recent years the line-up has always included bands and artists from the world of pop and rock, as well as well-known DJs. Highlights from recent years include the Foo Fighters, Ed Sheeran, Deichkind and the iconic Viennese band Bilderbuch.
Clam Live
Clam Castle in Upper Austria is not a typical festival location, but nevertheless a hot tip for music lovers. Since 1990, the imposing backdrop in front of the old castle ruins in the Mühlviertel region has hosted numerous concerts of various genres under the motto “Clam Live”, with the grounds offering space for up to 9,000 spectators. Star performers in recent years have included national and international greats such as Lionel Richie, One Republic, Hubert von Goisern, Take That and Herbert Grönemeyer.
Classical festival
Needless to say, Austria is the perfect destination for classical music lovers everywhere. From Salzburg to Bregenz, there are numerous music festivals throughout the country – most with a serious international pedigree:
Salzburg Festival
Picture: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
A stand-out on the international festival scene – and not just because of Jedermann and Buhlschaft. With a total of 200 productions over 6 festival weeks, and around 200,000 visitors every year, the Salzburg Festival is one of the most important events in the world of classical music. Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s aforementioned “Jedermann” is the main attraction every year, staged on the baroque Cathedral Square and featuring a cast of prominent actors. Spectators can also enjoy top-class theatre plays, operas and concerts, including, of course, works by Mozart and performances by well-known ensembles such as the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Bregenz Festival
Every year in July and August, the Vorarlberg’s capital Bregenz is transformed into a meeting point for lovers of opera, theatre and classical music. The Bregenz Festival takes place at several locations throughout the city, attracting over 200,000 visitors to the “Ländle” every year. The highlight is the specially constructed (and world’s largest) lake stage directly on the shores of Lake Constance, but events also take place in other locations in the city, such as the Festspielhaus or the theatre at Kornmarkt. The programme offers something for every taste, from opera and theatre to operettas and musicals. Highlights in recent years have included La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi, Carmen by Georges Bizet and Mozart’s The Magic Flute.
Linz Sound Cloud
Every year in September, Linz is all about music – which it has been since 1979, when the Upper Austrian capital started hosting the Klangwolke festival, which focuses on both classical and contemporary music spread over three separate events. The big attraction is the “Visualised Klangwolke” in Donaupark, which combines modern music with special effects such as fireworks, laser shows, and video projections. Around 100,000 spectators travel to Linz every year to enjoy the show. The programme is rounded off by the “Classical Sound Cloud” in the Brucknerhaus and the “Children’s Sound Cloud”, which is aimed specifically at young music fans.
Carinthian Summer
Picture: Wiener Philharmoniker
Classical music, interpreted in a modern way: there is probably no better way to describe the Carinthian Summer music festival. Various works have been performed here every summer since 1969 at venues around the town of Villach and Lake Ossiach. Soloists, ensembles and orchestras like the London Symphony Orchestra or the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra perform across several stages. In addition to performances of well-known classics, the programme also regularly features premieres of new, contemporary works.
Operetta and opera festivals
Whether Mamma Mia or La Traviata – there is plenty to see in Austria for fans of lavishly produced musical theatre:
Seefestspiele Mörbisch
Bild: Seefestspiele Mörbisch
Bregenz is not the only city where everything revolves around the lake stage in summer: on the “other side” of Austria, there is another important festival that provides entertainment for around 150,000 music lovers every year. The annual Lake Festival takes place in Mörbisch in Burgenland from mid-July to mid-August. Until 2020, the programme was dominated by operettas, including plays such as The Gypsy Baron, Anatevka and Countess Mariza. Since 2021, the focus has increasingly been on musicals, with classics such as West Side Story, Mamma Mia and The King and I being put on the stage.
Opera in St. Margarethen quarry
Picture: Oper im Steinbruch
Since 1996, around 160,000 opera fans have been drawn to St. Margarethen in the Rust Hills every summer. A lavish production is staged here every year in the historic quarry, one of the oldest of its kind. The unique backdrop, which not only provides a unique setting but also very special acoustics, is a particular highlight. The programme offers traditional classics – from Aida and Nabucco to The Flying Dutchman.
Thankfully, music is a language understood all over the world. However, the same definitely can’t be said of the German language. So if you want to improve your German, you’ve come to the exactly right place. At Österreich Institut, you’ll find a wide selection of German courses to choose from – whether you want to learn German from scratch or are looking to build on or refresh your existing knowledge. And if you’d like to learn more about Austria and its many customs, our blog is the perfect starting point: from a guide to some of the most famous Austrian authors to typical Austrian phrases and idioms. Happy reading!
