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From “Angelegenheit Großdeutschlands” To “Österreichische Abende”: Programming The 1945 Salzburg Festival, Rachel E. Scott

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Österreichische Abende, or Austrian Evenings, were a series unique to the 1945 Salzburg Festival. These six solo recitals, five of which featured singers, highlighted Austrian musical culture by recruiting Austrian performers to perform Austrian music in an Austrian setting. For the first time since the Annexation in 1938, Salzburg Festival administrators had the opportunity, albeit with limited resources, to assert an identity separate from Germany. By leveraging available resources, collaborating strategically with occupiers, evoking nostalgia, and providing a sacred space, these small-scale recitals were integral to the first post-war season of the Salzburg Festival and its subsequent revival.