Arts and Cultural Events in Austria

Music and Austria have been intertwined for centuries. Vienna is the birthplace of the waltz, and Salzburg is the ancestral home of Mozart. Austria's musical contributions to the world

include the vast repertoires of Schubert, Strauss, Haydn and Wagner, to name
only a few. Today the country is filled with musical festivals, from the renowned Salzburg Festival to countless music weekends held in small villages at the height of summer. Visiting Austria without sampling its music is like leaving without enjoying an apple strudel.

The Salzburg Festival runs from late July to the end of August, and celebrates Mozart, Strauss, Verdi and others. The Festival brings together a splendid array of concerts, instrumental recitals, Mozart matinees, serenades, ballet and sacred music. Virtuosi, duets and chamber music groups perform in the numerous halls and salons nearby, often with several events happening at once. But you won't get into the top concerts or operas without confirmed reservations made well in advance. Tickets for headline events sell out a year ahead. Plan ahead, too, to attend the Easter or Whitsun festivals.

For comprehensive information on the Festival, write directly the box office, Salzburg Festival, P.O. Box 140, A-5010, Salzburg, Austria, (0662) 8045 rtittp://www.salzburgfestival.com/ index2.html). Don't forget that, during Festival time, lodging Salzburg is at a premium—if you can't get hotel reservations, you might find room in the surrounding suburbs. Or try writing Salzburg tourist information office(Mozartplatz 5, Salzburg, Austria, (0662) 846568) to find accommodations with a local family.

Vienna hosts its own Festival from mid-May to June, while Bregenz has a July Festival that features performances on a gigantic floating stage on Lake Constance. Graz comes into its own during the Styrian autumn, featuring an arts festival with an avant-garde accent, while the area around Feldkirch honors Schubert with both spring and autumn festivals that draw famous performers from all across Europe. For information on these activities, consult the Austrian National Tourist Office, P.O. Box 1142, New York, NY 10108-1142, (212) 944-6880 (http: //www.austria-tourism.at/).