The open Salzburg rehearsal of two unstaged operas has exceeded all expectations in the amounts it raised – 158,000 Euros at the door, topped up to 200,000 by the city council. The money will help build a concert hall in the disaster zone. Press release follows. More from FAZ.

 

Press Release Salzburg Festival 2011

 

Today’s benefit dress rehearsal of the concert performance of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and Stravinsky’s Le Rossignol netted 158,065 Euros for the reconstruction of Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall in Japan. The City of Salzburg will increase the amount to a round 200.000 Euros.

 

 

Enormous Artistic and Social Success

 

13th August 2011 (SF) The Salzburg Festival is delighted that today’s benefit dress rehearsal of Iolanta / Le Rossignol could take place before a completely sold-out Großes Festspielhaus. The concert performances with the outstanding team of singers – headed by Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczala – as well as the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg under Ivor Bolton netted a total of 158,065 Euros. The entire net ticket revenue will be donated to the reconstruction of Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall in Japan. – Kawasaki has been a partner city of Salzburg since 1992.

 

“It was an enormous artistic and social success,” the President rejoiced – and thanked the artists and the audience. Mayor Schaden, who attended a concert of the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg at Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall himself, was able to promise to increase the sum to 200,000 Euros, on behalf of the City Government. “A city partnership demonstrates its value when we help each other in times of need,” Mayor Heinz Schaden emphasized. Kawasaki has been Salzburg’s partner city since 1992.

 

The concert hall – Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall – was destroyed almost entirely during the earthquake on March 11, 2011. The world’s best orchestras and conductors, for example the Vienna Philharmonic under Riccardo Muti, have performed at this concert hall, which is famed for its outstanding acoustics and architecture. Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall was opened on July 1, 2004 by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its Chief Conductor Hubert Soudant, who was previously also Chief Conductor of the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg and subsequently First Guest Conductor of the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg until 2004.

 

 

Social Engagement at the 2011 Salzburg Festival:

Throughout the summer, donations are being collected for the hunger catastrophe in Eastern Africa.

– July 25: benefit dress rehearsal of Jedermann for a project for street children in Alexandria (Caritas)

– July 29: benefit dress rehearsal of Prometeo for the renovation of Kollegienkirche

– August 13: benefit dress rehearsal of Iolanta / Le Rossignol, through which the Salzburg Festival supports the reconstruction of Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall in Japan.