The Vienna Philharmonic and Salzburg
and the Salzburg Music Festival

The VPO with Conductor Franz Schalk, 1928 Members of the Philharmonic with Arturo Toscanini, 1935

While the Orchestra is based in Vienna, The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra has played an integral role in helping Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart, become an important destination in the Austrian and international cultural scene. The Orchestra’s first trip outside of Vienna was to Salzburg in 1877 and in 1920, after many return trips, it played a benefit concert in Vienna in support of a newly formed committee who wanted to erect a festival house in Salzburg. The Salzburg Festival began later that year with performances of the drama “Everyman“ by Hugo von Hofmannsthal in front of the cathedral. In 1922 the Vienna Philharmonic took part for the first time and performed concerts and operas, all of them with compositions by Mozart with the conductors Richard Strauss and Franz Schalk. Since that first Festival performance in 1922, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra has performed more than 800 concerts and more than 2200 operas and now spends much of the Summer in residence in Salzburg. The Orchestra performs well known classics is also open for contemporary developments in the field of music. Salzburg is a meeting place for the most famous conductors, singers, actors and directors who have provided many highlights throughout the years. A few interesting facts about the Salzburg Festival (from the Salzburg Festival Society) In 2016:192 Total Performances (Operas, Concerts, Plays & Children’s Program Performances)14 Venues41 Days 259,000 visitors81 Countries Represented41 Non-European Countries Represented The 2017 Salzburg Festival runs from July 21st through August 30th