Markus Hinterhäuser, artistic director of the Salzburg Festival since 2017, has been removed from his position ahead of the 2024 season, marking an abrupt end to his leadership of the prestigious classical music event. The decision, announced in March amid reported “irreconcilable differences of opinion” with the festival’s supervisory board, places Hinterhäuser on leave until his contract expires in late September. Although the board had earlier agreed to extend his tenure through 2031, the terms of his departure and any severance package remain confidential, and the dismissal does not necessarily reflect a rejection of his artistic vision. Interim director Karin Bergmann will oversee the upcoming festival, which will present programming largely shaped by Hinterhäuser.
Hinterhäuser’s tenure was noted for continuing and evolving a period of artistic transformation that began with Gérard Mortier, who helmed the Salzburg Festival in the 1990s. Mortier’s leadership was marked by a shift away from the festival’s traditional, aristocratic associations—centered on lavish Mozart and Strauss productions—to a focus on contemporary music and radical theatre intended to attract younger and more diverse audiences. This approach provoked significant controversy at the time, with Mortier’s programming seen by critics as a departure from Salzburg’s heritage.
Hinterhäuser, whose early career included co-directing the festival’s contemporary music series Zeitfluss and briefly leading the entire institution in 2011, embraced and built upon Mortier’s reforms. When he returned in 2016 as intendant, he helped position Salzburg as a venue balancing prestige with artistic experimentation. His programming integrated prominent singers and the Vienna Philharmonic into theatrical presentations that were often austere, obscure, or challenging. Highlights included a politically charged reimagining of Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, co-directed by Peter Sellars and conductor Teodor Currentzis, and striking productions such as Romeo Castellucci’s Salome (2018) and Barrie Kosky’s Kát’a Kabanová (2022).
Despite these successes, Hinterhäuser’s commitment to a close-knit group of collaborators at times led to productions perceived as insular or overly somber. Some seasons attracted criticism for presenting work that was difficult or lacking dramatic coherence, including the 2023 festival’s renditions of Le nozze di Figaro and Falstaff, which were described by some as plodding and humorless. Moreover, critiques emerged regarding the festival’s expensive ticket prices, which can approach €500 per performance, potentially limiting accessibility.
Hinterhäuser’s association with conductor Teodor Currentzis also sparked debate. Currentzis, known for his bold interpretations and regular appearances at Salzburg, maintains ties to musicAeterna, a Saint Petersburg-based ensemble funded in part by sanctioned Russian state entities VTB Bank and Gazprom. This connection raised questions about the political implications of the festival’s artistic choices amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
As Bergmann prepares to lead the festival forward, questions remain about whether Salzburg will maintain the radical artistic trajectory shaped by Hinterhäuser and his predecessors or pivot toward a different vision. The outcome will be closely watched by the international classical music community as the festival navigates its identity in a changing cultural landscape.