Reinhardt Celebration

Reinhardt Celebration / 2023

Event

On September 9, 2023, Salzburg Global celebrated Max Reinhardt’s 150th birthday with a captivating theater performance at Schloss Leopoldskron. The “Reinhardt Celebration” was staged by renowned Austrian director Michael Sturminger and immersed guests in a theatrical world in the style of Reinhardt’s legendary parties.

Max Reinhardt, born on September 9, 1873, in Austria, was a pioneering figure in the world of modern theater. Celebrated for his theatrical innovations and international prominence, he co-founded the Salzburg Festival and was Europe’s most renowned theater producer of his era. Reinhardt’s impact extended to the American arts scene, notably through his extravagant 1934 production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Hollywood Bowl, followed by its 1935 film adaptation featuring Mickey Rooney and Olivia de Havilland. His career in New York City spanned until his death in 1943, where he excelled as a playwright, director, and producer on Broadway.

On his vision for the special event, director Michael Sturminger said that “the idea was to create a night that reflects the spirit which I think Max Reinhardt would have loved to have on his 150th birthday. We tried to honor him in a way that makes it possible to get an idea of what [Schloss Leopoldskron] would have been as a meeting point and place where artists get together and create things”.

Guests explored the historic palace, witnessing play and opera vignettes performed in the same spaces where Reinhardt himself once staged them. The evening began with a sunset performance of scenes from Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” on the terrace, followed by Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos,” Molière’s “The Imaginary Invalid,” Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro,” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Talented opera singers such as Štěpánka Pučálková and Ayşe Şenogul enriched the musical pieces.

During the gala dinner, Michael Maertens, renowned for his role in “Everyman” at the 2023 Salzburg Festival, recited Max Reinhardt’s famous “Speech About the Actor”. Maertens and actress Valery Tscheplanowa brought passages from “Everyman” to life as guests observed from their dinner seats. Opera soprano Camilla Nylund enchanted guests with her performances in Richard Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier” and Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus.” The evening culminated in a jubilant celebration with the cast.

Notable attendees included Max Reinhardt’s three grandchildren, Prof. Dr. Max Michael Schlereth, the Vice-Governor of the Salzburg region Stefan Schnöll, Salzburg Mayor Harald Preuner, Jonas Kaufmann, Sunnyi Melles, Philipp Hochmair, Johannes Silberschneider, Executive Director of the Salzburg Festival Lukas Crepaz, Director of the Salzburg Festival Drama Department Bettina Hering, Elisabeth Gutjahr, actor Lucas Englander, and the university rectors of both Mozarteum University and the University of Salzburg.

Schloss Leopoldskron, Reinhardt’s home for two decades before its Nazi confiscation as “Jewish property”, was a creative hub where he revitalized the palace through theater productions. During this time, it became an important meeting place for theater producers, writers, composers, and actors from all over Europe and abroad. The “Reinhardt Celebration” recreated this era, offering a taste of Reinhardt’s dream-like theater.

Martin Weiss, President and CEO of Salzburg Global Seminar said, “We owe Max Reinhardt a great deal. His directorial innovations, from revolving stages to new lighting and magical show elements, continue to shape modern theater. Reinhardt’s influence extends to the Salzburg Festival, which he founded in 1920 with ‘Everyman’ as a ‘work of peace’ after World War I. Over a century later, the Festival’s splendor and relevance endure. Max Reinhardt’s ingenuity, imagination, and vision have enriched us and remain indispensable in the arts.”

The “Reinhardt Celebration” will become an annual tradition at Schloss Leopoldskron, honoring Max Reinhardt’s artistic legacy with diverse performances, workshops, and cultural activities.