To mark the 80th anniversary of the Bregenz Festival, audiences on the shores of Lake Constance can look forward to a richly varied programme – from a new production on the spectacular lake stage and orchestral concerts featuring internationally renowned soloists to chamber music performances in an intimate setting. As the Festival's Orchestra in Residence since its very beginning, the Wiener Symphoniker once again play a central role in this landmark anniversary year.

A shattered mirror forms the striking centrepiece of the new Lake Stage set. Together with an infinity pool, it provides the dramatic backdrop for the new production of Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata, bringing Violetta's moving story to life. Performances will be conducted by Petro Rizzo and Kirill Karabits. 

Beyond the lake stage, the Festival also offers a wealth of musical highlights. At the Festspielhaus, Leoš Janáček's satirical opera The Excursions of Mr Brouček will be performed. Rarely staged, the work is distinguished not only by its wit but also by themes that remain strikingly relevant today. The Wiener Symphoniker will also present three orchestral concerts showcasing works by Dvořák, Ravel and Mussorgsky, alongside two Austrian premieres: Bernd Richard Deutsch's Intensity, conducted by Chief Conductor Petr Popelka, and Kaija Saariaho's Ciel d'Hiver, under the baton of Dalia Stasevska. Under the musical direction of Eva Ollikainen, the young violinist Guido Sant'Anna will perform Jean Sibelius's Violin Concerto.

Alongside its large-scale productions, chamber music forms an integral part of the Festival programme. On the traditional Wiener Symphoniker Day, ensembles from the orchestra perform a series of free concerts at venues across Bregenz's city centre, inviting audiences to discover the music as they move from one location to the next. The programme is further complemented by three chamber concerts at the Seestudio, which this year shine the spotlight on the Wiener Symphoniker's string ensembles.

Broadcasts of the operas on ORF and 3sat:

The Excursions of Mr Brouček
Thu, 23 July at 7:30 pm on Ö1 (live broadcast of the premiere)
Sun, 2 August at 10:25 pm on ORF III

La Traviata
Fri, 24 July at 9:20 pm on ORF 2 (live)
Sat, 29 August at 8:15 pm on 3sat