Brilliant summer gala 2022 of the Salzburg Festival Society in Leopoldskron Palace on the occasion of 100 years of American support for the Salzburg Festival
Dorothée Volpini de Maestri, Kristina Hammer and Elisabeth Muhr. Photo: Andreas Kolarik
The New York-based Salzburg Festival Society held its traditional Summer Gala at the restored Baroque Leopoldskron Palace on Sunday, August 14, to mark 100 years of American support for the Salzburg Festival.
From the Salzburg Festival Society, Nabil Chartouni, President, Elisabeth Muhr, Treasurer, Dorothee Volpini de Maestri, Secretary General, and Peggy Weber-McDowell, Director, welcome around 200 members, supporters and friends of the Salzburg Festival Society such as Festival President Dr. Kristina Hammer with her husband Christoph Hammer, Bulgari jewelry heiress Ilaria Bulgari with Jan Boyer, Philharmoniker director Daniel Froschauer, publisher Alexandra Kauka, Gabriela and Alexander zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, former US ambassador Helene von Damm, Ulrich Graf and Kathrin Countess Goess von Enzenberg, Tratzberg Castle, banker Heinrich Spängler, Helga Rabl-Stadler and many other illustrious guests.
Erwin Schrott sang for the guests, star chef Andreas Dollerer cooked, Roederer CEO Frederic Rouzard donated Roederer champagne and Elisabeth Muhr, treasurer of the Salzburg Festival Society and co-founder of Hallstein Water, her pure Hallstein water from the Dachstein region. The passionate patron of the arts commented on the gala: “The Salzburg Festival is a wonderful institution with an incredible history that we, as Austrians, can all be very proud of. We are delighted to be a sponsor of this spectacular summer gala and are grateful to have been able to raise much needed funds for our charitable partners”
Leopoldskron Castle, which gained international fame as the home of the von Trapp family in the film “Sound of Music”, was the perfect location as the castle was once the home of Max Reinhardt, the Austrian-born theater and film director and theater producer who founded the Salzburg Festival in 1920.
The Salzburg Festival Society Summer Gala is a community initiative to support art projects with donations from generous sponsors including Bank of America Private Bank, Roederer Schlumberger and Hallstein Water.
The Salzburg Festival arranged its first financial support of American editions after the end of the Second World War, when the US occupation led by General Mark Clarke initiated the restart of the festival. Since then, individual donors such as the Salzburg Festival Society have supported and sponsored opera and music productions with millions of dollars.
About the Salzburg Festival Society
The Salzburg Festival Society was founded in 2005 and serves as the official bridge between the Salzburg Festival and its American friends and sponsors. It offers its members exclusive access to events, services and offers during the festival.
About the Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is the world’s most important festival for opera, music and drama and will take place from July 18 to August 31, 2022. The varied program includes classics and world-famous artists as well as an increasing number of events for a younger audience. With 174 performances over 45 days and at 17 venues, the Salzburg Festival presents a diverse program and is an outstanding event in the international and Austrian event year.