cultural
The 46th Innsbruck Festival of Early Music was opened on Friday at Ambras Castle with an urgent appeal from the keynote speakers for togetherness. This year’s edition has the motto “Encounters”.
05.08.2022 15.56
Online since yesterday, 3:56 p.m
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A total of 53 events are planned under the directorship of Alessandro De Marchi until August 28, starting on Friday evening with the premiere of the opera “Silla” by Carl Heinrich Graun.
Platter states “political brutalization”
The ceremonial opening took over this year Governor Günther Platter (ÖVP) – for the last time before leaving politics. He emphasized that Tyrol had established itself as a “very special cultural region” and that Innsbruck was still the “centre of early music”. In his opening speech, Platter went into particular detail about the current crises and how to deal with them: “Encounters” are essential for “social peace”, he referred to the festival motto. He was “deeply” convinced that the challenges had to be met with “optimism”.
The outgoing governor called for “togetherness with respect” and a “different political culture”. “The brutalization of politics affects society,” he observed. You have to ask yourself the questions: “How do politicians deal with the population? But how do parts of the population deal with politics?” – after all, behind every politician there is a person and a family. “We’ve got to think of something,” Platter said.
Appeal for careful dealing with each other
Also the last time at the opening – at least in a political function – was the Minister of Culture Beate Palfrader (ÖVP). She also appealed to the guests to “be careful” when dealing with each other. “Nobody sits on the perch of morality,” she stated. For Palfrader, the music performed by the artists had “already left traces of happiness”.
Invitation to “celebrities present”
On Friday, De Marchi, who will hand over the directorship to Ottavio Dantone and operations director Eva-Maria Sens from 2023, also took a seat on stage and played a duet for harpsichord by Carl Heinrich Graun with Chiara Cattani. In the course of the opening, Sens asked the VIPs present from Tyrol’s politics, business and culture “that this is not the only time that you visit an event of the festival weeks”. Culture must also be “consumed,” said Sens.
She finally thanked Platter and Palfrader that without their support the Festwochen would not be where it is today. Innsbruck’s Mayor Georg Willi (Greens) also agreed: “We always agreed on that point. Music, art and culture are essential for our life.” It is “absolutely necessary” that you have to spend money on it. “You have always lived this support for art and culture,” said Willi.
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