Overview
- After a lengthy March 20 meeting, the Kuratorium said lawyers are engaged and open tenders are being prepared for the Intendant role and the festival presidency.
- The board maintains Markus Hinterhäuser’s contract ends on September 30, 2026 under a conduct clause, while he asserts a longer term reported as running to 2029 or 2031, with talks aiming for clarity by April.
- Renovation plans were confirmed: the Hohlraumbau starts in September, work on the Großes Festspielhaus shifts to autumn 2028, and the venue will close in the summers of 2029 and 2030.
- Festival leaders must quickly secure an interim performance venue for the closure period, as the post of head of drama remains unfilled.
- Coverage notes strong artistic and financial results under Hinterhäuser even as observers warn of legal, recruitment and reputational risks from the governance standoff.