Mission Statement

American Friends of the Salzburg Easter Festival, a not-for-profit entity, established under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code, was established in 2000 to encourage support for and attendance at the Easter Festival. Our membership was always comprised of music lovers from both North and South America. Since then, we have welcomed any and all who wish to affiliate themselves with us to become members.

The patronage system, established in 1967 by Herbert von Karajan, is included in the American Friends structure. The patron fee of $1,500 paid to our organization permits the donor to the same rights as those patrons.

Message from the President

Dear American Friends of the Salzburg Easter Festival,

I am very honored to be President of the American Friends of the Salzburg Easter Festival and the 2026 Festival is very special in many ways. This year marks the return of the founding resident orchestra for the Easter Festival, the Berlin Philharmonic with maestro Kirill Petrenko, and we are delighted to welcome them back to Salzburg. We are delighted to see our old friends and welcome our new friends to Salzburg. We will once again be enjoying the great music of the Easter Festival which helps heal the soul and soothe the mind.

The program this year is a very interesting one, launching an exciting five-year program including Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, with Das Rheingold in 2026 and Die Walküre in 2027. In 2028, we will be given the only opera written by Arnold Schoenberg, Moses and Aron. The Festival will continue with Siegfried in 2029 and conclude with Götterdämmerung in 2030.

The 2026 Easter Festival will also include Mahler's 8th Symphony, Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique op. 14, as well as Haydn's Creation.

As we have done in the past, the American Friends are sponsoring Professor Clemens Hellsburg, former Chairman of the Vienna Philharmonic, who will lecture at the Grosses Festspielhaus on Saturday, April 4th at 9:45 a.m. This Giancarla Berti Lecture is in honor of the memory of our long-time board member of the American Friends.

The festive American Friends dinner will follow the concert on Saturday April 4th at the legendary Goldener Hirsch.

We look forward to sharing a delicious Austrian meal together.

I wish to thank our dedicated board as well as all of you, the American Friends of the Salzburg Easter Festival, and take this opportunity to remind you that our mission is to support and promote the Festival wherever our home may be. I hope you will continue to attend the Festival and support the artistry that is featured here each Easter.

With Best Wishes,
Cynthia Sculco, President

Board Members