Salzburg Festival with immediate effect . This was the result of a meeting between the festival fund's lawyers on the one hand and Hinterhäuser and his legal representatives on the other, the office of Salzburg Governor Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) announced on Thursday. The reason given for the separation was irreconcilable differences of opinion and disagreements.

Markus Hinterhäuser

It was mutually agreed that the artistic director would be placed on leave "until the end of his current contract, which is September 30, 2026," the statement continued. Details of the agreement remain confidential.

The festival's board of trustees will immediately fill the position of artistic director on an interim basis. Discussions with candidates are already underway. Regardless, the call for applications for the permanent artistic directorship will be prepared.

The pianist and cultural manager Hinterhäuser (67) had been at the helm of the festival since 2016. In 2024, his contract was extended until 2031, with a mutual termination option on September 30, 2029. Due to criticism of his leadership style, the board of trustees withdrew the contract extension in February and informed Hinterhäuser that he would have to leave either at the end of September 2026 or the following year.

Founded in 1920, the Salzburg Festival attracts around 250,000 visitors each year with approximately 200 events over six weeks. Last year, the festival achieved an occupancy rate of 98.4 percent.

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