Spotlight on Female Authors & Composers: Festival Academy 2026
From 15–16 August 2026, this year's Festival Academy – titled FRAUEN.FESTSPIEL.PRÄSENZ (Women.Festival.Representation) – explores the representation, history and future of women playwrights and composers at the Salzburg Festival. Over the course of the two-day symposium, participants will discuss pressing questions surrounding representation, power structures and canon formation.
Bild: Probenfoto "Unter Tieren" von Elfriede Jelinek bei den Salzburger Festspielen 2026
v.l.: Caroline Peters, Azaria Dowuona-Hammond, Sebastian Rudolph, Thiemo Strutzenberger
The symposium (in German) is part of the comprehensive research project *FRAUEN.FESTSPIELE.SALZBURG, which builds on the publication JederMann – KeineFrau? The Salzburg Festival in Discussion (2024). The goal is to shine a light on patriarchal structures and mechanisms of exclusion while simultaneously analysing aesthetic strategies that have been used to challenge or reinforce traditional representations of women.
The academy is organised by the Elfriede Jelinek Interuniversity Research Network (University of Vienna and Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna) and the Elfriede Jelinek Research Center, in close cooperation with Mozarteum University Salzburg and the University of Salzburg.
A varied programme at historic venues
The programme (in German) brings together scholarly perspectives, artistic interventions, panel discussions and archival insights:
Saturday, 15.8.2026
10.00am, University of Salzburg, Bibliotheksaula, Hofstallgasse 2-4
- Welcome
Jutta Horejs-Höck, University of Salzburg
Constanze Wimmer, Mozarteum University Salzburg
Pia Janke, Elfriede Jelinek Interuniversity Research Network - Keynote - Sophie Reyer: Gendering the Stage
- Salzburger Festspiele 2.0.: Women playwrightss and composers
- Workshop 1: "Canon" and "Excellence"? New Narratives
With Sophie Reyer, Johannes Maria Staud, Melanie Unseld, moderated by Alex. Riener - Workshop 2: Power.Structures versus Empowerment
With Alexandra Althoff, Petra Paterno, Julia Purgina, moderated by Irene Suchy - Workshop 3: Programming: Representation & Formats
With Angélica Castelló, Nicole Haitzinger, Amélie Niermeyer, moderated by Edith Draxl
- Workshop 1: "Canon" and "Excellence"? New Narratives
4.00pm, Konzertsaal Schloss Frohnburg, Hellbrunner Allee 53
- Elfriede Jelinek and the Salzburg Festival.
Open Archive with Christa Gürtler, Victoria Mayrleb, Sophie Nordmann
Sylvie Rohrer reads texts by Elfriede Jelinek - Discussion: Jelinek in Salzburg: Conflicts and Scandals
Impulse (Video-Statement): Jossi Wieler
With Christa Gürtler, Margarete Lamb-Faffelberger, Helga Rabl-Stadler, moderated by Monika Meister
Sonntag, 16.8.2026
10.00am, University of Salzburg, Bibliotheksaula, Hofstallgasse 2-4
- Dicussion: New Spaces - New Festival
Impulse (Video-Statement): Milo Rau
With Konrad Hempel, Claudia Lehmann, Monika Meister, András Pálffy, moderated by Thomas Ballhausen - Discussion: Florentina Holzinger – Rethinking the Festival
With Thaddaeus Ropac and Pia Janke - Discussion: Salzburg Festival: Curating the Future
With Christian Kircher, Eva Neumayr, moderated by Hedwig Kainberger
3.00pm, Stadtkino & Theater Hallein
- Elfriede Jelinek: Unter Tieren – Ahead of the premiere at the Perner-Insel, Hallein
- Uta Degner: Benko on Stage
How Elfriede Jelinek goes against the trend - Nicolas Stemann in discussion with Paulina Schmid-Schutti: „Ich beschreibe hier den Weg, ich sage aber nicht, wohin er führt“
Staging Jelinek at the Salzburg Festival - Discussion: Alibi Jelinek? Fesival programming and visibility of women
With Margarete Affenzeller, Alexandra Althoff, Julya Rabinowich, moderated by Pia Janke
- Uta Degner: Benko on Stage
Participate now: FRAUEN*.FESTSPIEL.STIMMEN
In the run-up to the conference, the online participatory initiative FRAUEN.*FESTSPIEL.STIMMEN. is still underway until 10 August 2026. Anyone interested is invited to share observations, critiques and visionary ideas for greater equality and diversity at the festival and to work together to open up spaces for reflection.
Admission to all Festspiel Academy events is free. Pia Janke and Paulina Schmid-Schutti are responsible for the planning and organisation.