Salzburg Festival Orders Mandatory Mask Wearing

FFP2 face masks are now compulsory for all festival-goers from the age of 14, and mouth and nose protection is mandatory for children from 6 to 14 years old

Held every summer since 1920 in Austria, the Salzburg Festival was founded by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Max Reinhardt, and Richard Strauss.

Due to the recent increase in numbers of new COVID infections in Salzburg, and the dominance of the delta variant, health authorities of the city have enforced tighter restrictions. 

The current plan is adapted to apply updated legal and epidemiological regulations and conditions and since the new requirements, an additional 70,000 tickets have become available for the event.

According to official regulations, the Salzburg Festival can occur without restrictions on seating capacity. Other prevention measures include the personalization of all tickets for authorities to conduct rapid contact tracing in case of infections. 

There will be no legal minimum distancing requirement, but it is advised that concertgoers keep sufficient distances from other visitors. Reusable and washable gloves will be used by ushers and cloakroom attendants and will be treated with antiviral and antibacterial substances. 

Entrants of the Salzburg Festival performance venues must have been tested, vaccinated, or have recovered from the virus in the last six months and have proof of this via a doctor’s certificate or official quarantine order. 

"We are delighted to present the centenary celebrations of the Salzburg Festival this year without major restrictions," said Lukas Crepaz, the event’s Executive Director. "Last year, we proved that even during the pandemic, the Festival could safely take place, and we are highly confident that this will again be the case this year.

"The current prevention plan is continuously adapted to reflect current developments, in cooperation with our council of expert advisers," he continued. "We have a whole repertoire of possible measures, enabling us to react even to unfortunate developments."

For the festival program, click here.