With a closing concert by the outgoing artistic director Alessandro De Marchi, the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music concluded last night with great success, achieving an attendance rate of 96%. Over the period from July 11th to August 29th, more than 20,000 guests from all around the world attended a total of 56 festival events (23 of which were free of charge).
Festival Director Alessandro De Marchi, CEO Dr. Markus Lutz, and Operations Director Mag. Eva-Maria Sens reflect on eventful and highly attended Festival of Early Music, which was held under the theme «Paths». The final concert of the 14th International Baroque Opera Singing Competition «Pietro Antonio Cesti» took place on Sunday evening at the House of Music Innsbruck.
Last night's closing concert by Alessandro De Marchi with the Festwochenorchester and Antoine Tamestit was undeniably one of the highlights of this year's festival. In the sold-out Großer Saal of the Haus der Musik Innbruck, there were continuous applause and standing ovations. Alessandro De Marchi looks back with joy: «After 14 years as the artistic director of the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, a wonderful circle is closing for me. I'm grateful for 14 great and eventful years to all supporters, artists, companions on the journey, the audience, and the team.»
This year at the Tiroler Landestheater, De Marchi took on the musical direction of two Vivaldi works. The opera «Olimpiade» successfully graced the stage three times in early August, and the staged oratorio "Juditha triumphans" received much acclaim from both the audience and critics in the last week, performing twice. The Barockoper:Jung «La fida ninfa» featuring former participants of the Cesti competition was sold out at every performance and captivated the spectators. There were moments of jubilation and goosebumps from the audience at other sold-out concerts as well, such as «Il giardino» with Il Giardino Armonico and Giovanni Antonini, as well as «Bach & Vivaldi» with Lina Tur Bonet and the Musica Alchemica ensemble in the Spanish Hall of Schloss Ambras, and the Open Mind concert «Tango Seasons» at the Tiroler Landestheater.
Nearly 11,000 guests attended the opera and concert events. Additionally, over 9,000 interested individuals participated in the free events of the festival, such as the «Concerto mobile», «Musica montana», lunchtime concerts, the Ambraser Schlossfest and «Pauken und Trompeten» at the Goldenes Dachl. The festival's events also drew numerous media representatives to Innsbruck: 58 journalists from 8 countries reported on the festival in July and August.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the artists and the audience for countless wonderful Festival of Early Music moments. We especially thank all the supporters, sponsors, and partners who made this diverse program for 2023 possible.