Ticket information

Opening hours ticket office

Monday to Friday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Due to the construction work for the new Festival Centre, the ticket office can be found at the following address until its completion:

Wiener-Philharmoniker-Gasse 3
5020 Salzburg, Austria
Tel. +43 662 8045 500
info@salzburgfestival.at

‘I am being given birth into death’

Salzburg Festival 2025

‘I am being given birth into death,’ remarks Samuel Beckett’s character Malone in a monologue that dissolves time and space, leaving only the nothingness of the end. The endgame of human existence is where we find the protagonists of this summer’s Salzburg Festival: siblings languishing in the Russian provinces in Peter Eötvös’s Three Sisters, a woman lost in the forest in Schoenberg’s Erwartung and a mournful, lonely wanderer in Mahler’s ‘Der Abschied’. The doctor in Vladimir Sorokin’s deadly blizzard is likewise caught up in extreme circumstances, as is the despondent prophetess Cassandra in Michael Jarrell’s adaptation of Christa Wolf’s novella.
Along the way, we will be transported to the historical power bases Caesar built up in Rome and Egypt, to Macbeth’s Scotland and to Tudor England where Mary Stuart was imprisoned. We meet powerful people who are facing the inevitable. They are all close to the end, whether staring right into it (Verdi’s and Sciarrino’s Macbeth), fearing it (Handel’s Giulio Cesare), choreographing it triumphantly (Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda) or longingly calling for it (characters in Three Sisters). They spend their final moments in lonely abandonment (Jarrell’s Cassandra), in a state of feverish anxiety (the protagonist of Erwartung), or in cosmic repose, having found comfort and spiritual transcendence (in Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde).

Our questions, our doubts, our loneliness, our fears and our brightest hopes are all writ large in the works programmed at the Festival this summer, brought into sharp clarity as if by a magnifying glass. We see them much as Hofmannsthal’s Jedermann looks back on his life, his memories rapidly curdling in his final hours — yet he still finds redemption.

While Macbeth summons the end of the world and Karl Kraus, haunted by the horrors of war, feels he is standing ‘before the deathbed of time’ in his monumental drama The Last Days of Mankind, Mahler’s wanderer sees a glimmer of hope: ‘Everywhere and forever the distance shines bright and blue!’ For Mozart, the light always breaks through — and even Sorokin’s blizzard takes us ‘to the epicentre of a blinding brightness’. In the end, every vision of worldly doom also carries within it a vision of something new.

The tension between our current actions and our vision of the future is what defines our humanity.
This brings up the great philosophical question of human free will: are we truly able to choose between different courses of action, or are outcomes predetermined by fate? In the Ouverture spirituelle, we will plumb the depths of this question.

However differently an ending is portrayed and composed, and no matter how it is anticipated, feared or invoked — it is only through the playful nature of art that we can see ourselves reflected in others, and be present with them as they face their own endings. For the observers and for the audience — that is to say, for us — this expands our capacity to act meaningfully, opening up new spaces for imagination, change and transformation.

 

Kristina Hammer · Markus Hinterhäuser · Lukas Crepaz
Board of Directors of the Salzburg Festival

Donata Wenders, Leiko Dreaming (Porträt Leiko Ikemura), Berlin, 2017, Silver Gelatin Print © Donata Wenders

Ticket allocation procedure

  • All orders are requested in writing by the deadline 21 January 2025:
  • online: www.salzburgfestival.at
    We provide instructions here to assist you.
  • by mail:
    Ticket office of the Salzburg Festival
    P.O. Box 140
    5010 Salzburg, Austria
  • All orders arriving at the latest by the deadline will be handled equally, irrespective of when they arrive. This means that orders are not processed in the order in which they arrive. Notification of the extent to which the order is processed as requested will be sent by end of March 2025 at the latest.
    Orders received after the deadline will only be processed after all orders placed before the deadline have been filled.
  • Orders from club members, patrons, association members and subscribers are given priority and are linked to the current member status. Here you can find more information about the Friends’ Association (Verein der Freunde).
  • When ordering a wheelchair seat, it must be announced whether a seat for the accompanying person is required in the immediate vicinity. Detailed information on all wheelchair spaces in the individual venues and on the subject of accessibility can be found here.
  • Once the order phase is complete, direct sales will start on 21 March 2025.
Sounds of La Serenissima

Salzburg Festival Whitsun 2025

Dear Friends,

After previous sojourns in Rome and Seville, we continue our musical travels during the 2025 Salzburg Whitsun Festival and journey this time to the lagoon city of Venice, where enchanting sounds await us. This place is the closest realization of a ‘utopia’ as described by Thomas More in his 1516 book of the same name. It was utopian for human labour to raise a city of stone, graced with the world’s most beautiful artworks, from changeable waters that could never be truly tamed. When Venice rose to become a world power, it was despite — or possibly even because of — a social order that was uniquely utopian for past centuries. And today it seems utopian to hope that the city’s historic structures and proud spirit might be preserved in the face of mass tourism, climate change and the various political challenges confronting European society.

With its unique blend of breathtaking splendour and chronic decay, over the course of its tumultuous history Venice became a place of convergence for people from a wide range of cultures — among them an incredible array of foreign statesmen, thinkers, philosophers, writers, painters, musicians and scientists — for whom the city’s morbid character was like a Baroque memento mori.

Though it may seem intuitive to reach for the words of an Italian writer or composer when describing such a city caught between dream and reality as a centre for music, it is fitting to quote Friedrich Nietzsche, in the introductory text to his famous poem Venedig (1888), since he expresses it better than anyone else: ‘When I seek another word for music, I always find only the word Venice.’

During the 2025 Salzburg Whitsun Festival, you will hear a selection of music spanning five centuries, featuring works that were either written in Venice, created for Venice or inspired by the city. Our benchmark from the 17th century is Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine, a work made up of numerous and highly contrasting parts. The performance in Salzburg will, like every performance before it, recreate the work anew in the present day, as the players and singers must make critical decisions about the instrumental forces and interpretation. Our concert is conducted by Gianluca Capuano with Les Musiciens du Prince — Monaco on historical instruments and the vocal ensemble Il Canto di Orfeo, therefore promising a unique experience in every respect. When paired with Bruno Mantovani’s new work based on Rilke’s 1918 poem Venezianischer Morgen (Venetian Morning), to be premiered less than three months before the Whitsun Festival, this bridge across the centuries can be perceived very clearly; or, to put it in Rilke’s own words: ‘reflections drawn from the canal in rows — /reminding her of shimmering days like those’.

The music of Antonio Vivaldi, as repurposed in an operatic pasticcio to be created by Barrie Kosky, takes us back to the 18th century. Before copyright was established as a legal concept, before sheet music became widely accessible, and long before recording devices were invented, the reuse of music by different composers in new contexts was not seen as an illicit act of plagiarism, but as a compliment. This was the only way to preserve it, as every piece of music would otherwise disappear from the repertory after only a few performances and not be readily heard again. In taking up this tradition, our project serves as a great homage to Vivaldi the opera composer.

Throughout his life, Giuseppe Verdi received more and more commissions from Venice, though the rehearsals were fraught with difficulties and the performances were often far from successful. One such fiasco was the world premiere of La traviata at the Teatro La Fenice in March 1853. As it remains nevertheless a choice example of the 19th-century music created in or for Venice, I have programmed this opera as a concert performance with a cast of fantastic soloists.

This year, I am especially looking forward to a chamber-music matinee conceived by Markus Hinterhäuser, who also performs, which will feature Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder as well as …..sofferte onde serene… by Luigi Nono, with the latter providing a reminder that Nono’s native city of Venice also inspired some of the greatest musicians of the 20th century.

John Neumeier was synonymous with the Hamburg Ballet for 50 years: an artistic symbiosis so close that the company now even bears his name. During this time, Neumeier’s dancers performed six times in Venice; at the Teatro La Fenice, of course, but also in the Piazza San Marco. I am moved and honoured that John Neumeier is reviving the ballet Death in Venice for us, as part of an extensive retrospective marking the end of his artistic directorship. This will put the crowning touch on our wonderful artistic partnership. In this adaptation of Thomas Mann’s novella, which gained worldwide fame through Visconti’s film, Neumeier draws on music by Bach and Wagner to build the bridges between eras and art forms that are so characteristic of his work. In the case of Venice, this strikes me as exactly the right approach to the myth of this city.

I don’t know how widely known it is that the first Rossini opera produced by a theatre, La cambiale di matrimonio, was unveiled in Venice, where the world premiere took place on 3 November 1810 at the Teatro San Moisè. And there is another Venetian connection: Semiramide, Rossini’s last opera to be premiered in Italy, was first performed at the Teatro La Fenice on 3 February 1823. On Whit Monday, we will dedicate the second eclectic pasticcio of this Whitsun Festival to Rossini and a selection of the most beautiful numbers from his ‘Venetian’ operas, such as La scala di seta, L’italiana in Algeri and Tancredi.

I look forward very much to seeing you again at the 2025 Salzburg Whitsun Festival!

Ticket Sales

From now on, you can book your subscriptions directly online.

When booking at least one date of the new production Hotel Metamorphosis, the ballet Death in Venice, the two concert operas La Traviata and Carmen and at least one of the following events: Sacred ConcertMatinee a 15 % discount will be granted. This subscription can be booked in price categories 1 to 5.

Subscription orders are processed with priority according to the date by which they are received. Single ticket orders are processed from January 20, 2025 (according to availability).

Individual tickets can be booked directly online from 20 January 2025.

Written orders can be sent to:

SALZBURGER FESTSPIELE
PO Box 140

5010 Salzburg · Austria
info@salzburgfestival.at

 

Team

Christoph Engel, MAS
Director Sales
Sahereh Astanehe
Employee Ticket Office
Anna Gubisch
Employee Ticket Office
Jakob Hinterholzer
Employee Ticket Office
Mag. Johanna Leiner
Employee Ticket Office
Aurélie Mayer-Musah
Employee Ticket Office
Daniela Schatz
Employee Ticket Office
Sabine Stallegger
Employee Ticket Office
Victoria Waldmann
Employee Ticket Office
Bernadette Zauner
Employee Ticket Office

Frequently asked questions

Still have questions about tickets or looking for a specific ticket information? Frequently asked questions are answered in our FAQ section.

Kann ich Festspielkarten als Weihnachtsgeschenk erwerben?
As ticket allocation for the summer does not start until the new year, we are unfortunately unable to confirm any tickets for Christmas. However, you have the opportunity to purchase vouchers at our ticket office or online.
Kann ich mir das Jahresprogramm zusenden lassen?
Yes! Please send your postal address to info@salzburgfestival.at and you will receive the programme once published.
Kann ich einen Gutschein für eine bestimmte Vorstellung kaufen?
No, you can only buy vouchers with individually definable values at the ticket office or online. However, these do not guarantee allocation to specific performances. Vouchers can be redeemed for all available tickets for the Salzburg Festival at Whitsun and in summer.
Wie werde ich Vereinsmitglied oder Förderer?
Do you feel particularly connected to the Salzburg Festival and would you like to support us? The financial contributions of the Association of the Friends of the Salzburg Festival, made up of many loyal supporters, contribute directly to the success of our Festival. For questions about the Association "Friends of the Salzburg Festival", please contact the "Friends" office directly. Mönchsberg 1 (Lift a Toscaninihof) Monday to Friday von 9.00am - 1.00pm Phone: +43 662 8045-284 Fax: +43 662 8045-474 office@festspielfreunde.at http://www.festspielfreunde.at/english    
Wo bekomme ich Informationen zu Übertragungen von Produktionen der Saison?
A list of planned radio, TV or streaming broadcasts can be found on the programme pages of the respective productions on this site: https://www.salzburgerfestspiele.at/en/broadcasts
Was passiert im Falle einer Vorstellungsabsage?
In the event of a performance cancellation, the customer will only be refunded the ticket price. After two-thirds of the planned duration, the performance is considered to have been completed. In case the performance is broken off earlier the refund is made proportionately. Further claims of the customer are excluded if the Salzburg Festival is not responsible for the reason for the cancellation of the event. The claim for the ticket refund must be stated within 3 months of the date of the cancelled performance. After that any claim expires. Please note the special regulations for the performances of the Jedermann: Since Jedermann performances on Domplatz (Cathedral Square) are openair performances, a weather risk cannot be excluded. In the event of rain or an uncertain weather situation (e.g. heavy rain or thunderstorms), the performance may be moved to the Grosses Festspielhaus. After 60 minutes, the performance is considered to have been completed; if the performance is cancelled earlier, the admission fee will be refunded on a pro rata basis. Due to the differences between the venues Domplatz and the Grosses Festspielhaus, it is not possible to guarantee a side-by-side position in the event of a performance of the Jedermann in the Grosses Festspielhaus, or to vary the position in line and spatial positioning in relation to Domplatz. Further information can be found in our terms and conditions.
Bekomme ich mein Geld zurück, wenn es zu einer Besetzungs- oder Programmänderung kommt?
Changes in the cast and programme as well as changes in the beginning times do not entitle the holder to return the tickets. If there are any changes, the Salzburg Festival will do its utmost to inform ticket purchasers as far as it is reasonably possible. However, it is the customers’ responsibility to inform themselves about any changes. The most up-to-date information can be found on our website.
Ich habe noch eine Frage
We could not answer your question? Our ticket office will be happy to help you.
Ordering vs. Buying – what’s the difference?
At the Salzburg Festival, a distinction is made between "Ordering" and "Buying" to organize ticket sales. Here's the difference:

Ordering:
  • Once the programme is released, tickets can be ordered.
  • Orders must include details such as the performance, number of tickets, and category, but exact seats cannot be chosen.
  • Orders are collected up to a specified deadline, after which tickets are allocated continuously until the end of March.
  • Up to a thousand orders a day are processed by the team of the ticket office, booked, and billed. Orders by members of the Friends of the Salzburg Festival (including club members, patrons and sponsors), which support us financially,  thus helping to enable much of our programme in the first place, are processed first.
  • The order processing takes into account how long a customer has been attending the festival, as maintaining relationships with long-term visitors is important.
  • Due to high demand, not all requests can be fulfilled, and the chances of a successful allocation increase if the order is more flexible in terms of performance, date, and price categories.

Buying:
  • After all orders have been processed, direct sales begin. At this point, all remaining tickets are available for purchase.
  • During direct sales, specific seat selections are possible.
  • Tickets can be purchased via the website, by phone, or at the ticket office.
How do I get tickets for the Salzburg Festival?
Whitsun:
  • The ticket sale for Whitsun starts with the subscription sale, which has already started.
  • Individual tickets will be available from 20 January 2025.

Summer:
  • Tickets can be ordered as soon as the programme is published (early December).
  • Orders will be collected until the deadline (21.01.2025) and then be processed.
  • Orders must be made in writing. You can place an order via the website or using the order form.
  • The time of the order has no influence on the processing; it is important that the order is placed before the deadline.
  • No seats can be selected when ordering, only sectors and the category.
  • Orders are no guarantee of a ticket allocation.
  • After the order phase, direct sales will start (the exact date will be announced).
How does the ordering procedure work?
Tickets can be ordered from 3. December 2024.
  • Orders will be collected until the deadline (21 January 2025) and then processed.
  • The time of the order has no influence on the processing; it is simply important that the order is placed before the deadline.
  • No seats can be selected when ordering, only sectors and the category.
  • Orders are no guarantee for a ticket allocation.

Start of direct sales: 21 March 2025
  • From 21 March 2025 you can buy tickets directly on our website.
  • The tickets correspond to the selected seats in the selected category.
How are tickets allocated?
  • Orders will be collected until the deadline (21 January 2025).
  • From 21 January 2025 orders will be allocated.
    • All orders received by the deadline will be treated equally.
    • This means that orders are not processed in the order in which they arrive.
  • Orders from club members, patrons, association members and subscribers are prioritised and are linked to the current membership status.
  • You will receive notification of the extent to which your order has been processed as requested in the end of March the latest.
Will the time I submitted my application affect my chances of a successful ticket allocation?
  • Orders are requested by the deadline (21 January 2025).
  • The time of the order has no influence on the processing
  • Orders received after the deadline will only be processed after all orders placed before the deadline have been filled.
Can I edit or cancel my order?
  • Yes, Orders can be edited or cancelled up to 21 January 2025. After this date they are binding.
  • Instructions can be found here
When and how will I know if my order was successful?
You will receive a written notification by the end of March at the latest:
  • a positive allocation in the form of an invoice
  • if no allocation was possible, you will receive a message by e-mail / letter no later than the end of March.
What to do if my ticket order was not successful?
Ticket availability is subject to a dynamic process and can therefore change constantly. For sold-out performances, we offer our customers the opportunity to return their already purchased tickets to the ticket office for a commissioned resale. These commission tickets are immediately up for sale. Please inform yourself about our current ticket offers.
When can I buy tickets directly?
Whitsun 2025
  • Subscription: as of now
  • Individual tickets: from 20. January 2025

Summer 2025
  • Direct sales will start after the order phase on 21. March 2025
When and how can I purchase or order tickets for the Salzburg Festival Whitsun?
From now on, you can book your subscriptions directly online or at the ticket office. Individual ticket sale starts on 20. January 2025. Individual ticket orders are processed from January 20, 2025 (according to availability) Please send your wirtten orders to: SALZBURGER FESTSPIELE PO Box 140 5010 Salzburg · Österreich info@salzburgfestival.at
Do I have to purchase tickets in a package?
No. All tickets can be ordered individually and purchased depending on availability. However, you have the option of purchasing thematic and chronological subscriptions for both the Summer and Whitsun Festivals depending on availability.
Are discounted tickets for children and teenagers available?
For selected performances in opera, theater, and concerts, heavily discounted youth tickets are available for everyone under 27. These can be purchased through the Ticket Gretchen app. For more information on discounted youth tickets sign up for our newsletter.
Is there a discount for holders of the ‘Kulturpass’?
The Salzburg Festival offers holders of the 'Kulturpass' the opportunity to attend selected dress rehearsals. Detailed information can be found at www.hungeraufkunstundkultur.at    
Are there any cheap last-minute tickets available right before the start of a performance?
The Salzburg Festival offers no special last-minute discounts.
How can I pay the bill for my tickets?
Payments should only be made after receipt of the invoice, quoting the purpose code, and must be effected within the time indicated on the invoice. The Salzburg Festival accepts the following credit cards: Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club, Visa, JCB. Payment by bank transfer (charges to be paid by the purchaser), payment from the credit of the customer account, payment by vouchers as well as payment by bank card (Maestro) or cash payment on site are also possible. From three weeks before the event date, bank transfers are only possible in exceptional cases.
How do I receive my tickets?
  • E-tickets will be delivered free of charge by e-mail link or online at My Festival.
  • Printed tickets can be sent by registered mail for a fee (€ 6.– for Austria, € 7.– for Germany and € 12.– for other countries) or be picked up in the ticket office or box office. From four weeks before the first performance booked, there is only the possibility to pick up the printed tickets on site or to book them as an e-ticket.

Please let us know when placing your order or making your purchase how you would like to receive the tickets.
Where can I pick up my purchased tickets?
Tickets can be picked up at the ticket office or at the box office of the respective venue one hour before the performance starts. You will receive your tickets upon presentation of the order confirmation / invoice or a valid photo ID.
Can I return or change my booked tickets?
Ticket orders and purchases are binding in any form. Optional ticket reservations are unfortunately not possible, nor is the return or exchange of purchased or ordered tickets. Ticket returns are only possible for sold out performances for resale on commission; a 15 % commission fee (association members 10 %, patrons free of charge) applies. The Salzburg Festival does not guarantee the resale of returned tickets. If the necessary bank details are available, any return transfers will be made from the day after the respective performance date (in the case of several performances, after the day of the last performance for which tickets have been accepted for resale on commission). Further information can be found in our terms and conditions.
May I pass or sell my tickets?
Generally you can pass on your tickets. However, the purchase for commercial or trade resale, as well as the transfer of tickets is prohibited without the prior consent of the Salzburg Festival. Furthermore, it is not permitted to offer tickets to the public via Internet auctions and marketplaces as well as on the radio, in the press or in any other way. Passing on discounted tickets (in particular youth tickets, press tickets) is prohibited. Further information can be found in our terms and conditions.
Why are tickets personalized?
Tickets for the Salzburg Festival must be personalized without exception for the ticket purchaser’s own protection and to prevent unauthorized distribution. The name of the respective visitor is printed on the tickets. Only the person named on the ticket (including accompanying person(s) up to a defined maximum number – provided the group passes the admission controls together) is entitled to admission to the event after presenting a photo ID without being asked.
How can I personalize my tickets?
You can personalize your tickets online at My Festival. You can find step-by-step instructions here. Should you need any help the ticket office is happy to assist you.
I lost my tickets. What can I do?
All tickets can be downloaded at My Festival or be picked up at the ticket office at any time. Please note that only the most recently downloaded or printed tickets are the valid tickets for entry.
Festival Ticket = Bus Ticket
From 6 June until 9 June and from 18 July until 31 August 2025 your festival ticket is valid as a public transport ticket on all SVV bus and train lines in the federal state of Salzburg (SVV network area), six hours before the start of the performance until the last service.
Is there a dresscode for performances?
We look forward to welcoming you at our performances in festive and elegant evening attire.
What do I need to know about the placement at the venues?
Seats are allocated in accordance with the legal framework. The allocated seats must be strictly adhered to. However, the Salzburg Festival reserves the right to provide seats within the same category other than those listed on the ticket for organisational reasons. Instructions of the hall staff must also be followed.
Detailed information on the venues can be found at www.salzburgfestival.at/en/venues
When and where are programme booklets for the productions available for purchase?
Programme booklets for each performance are available from the day of the premiere at the Salzburg Festival Shop, as well as one hour before the performance at the venue. If you are interested in programme booklets from past performances, please contact the ticket office.
Is the Salzburg Festival wheelchair accessible?
The Salzburg Festival offers places for wheelchair users, disabled toilets and barrier-free access in all venues. Learn more about accessibility at the Salzburg Festival.
What information is important to me as a wheelchair user?
All of our venues are equipped with places for wheelchair users as well as one accompanying person. When ordering your ticket, please indicate your request for a wheelchair place as well as whether or not you require a seat for an accompanying person in your immediate vicinity. For detailed information on all wheelchair spaces in the individual venues, please visit www.salzburgerfestspiele.at/en/accessibility  
Is there an induction system for the hearing impaired?
Several seats in the Felsenreitschule (middle block, rows 19 to 28), the Haus für Mozart (second rank, middle block) and the Salzburg State Theater are equipped with an induction system. Hearing aids which have this function switch to or recognize them automatically.