Markus Hinterhäuser receives Grand Jury Prize at Music Theater Awards

Markus Hinterhäuser, the former director of the Salzburg Festival, is set to receive the Grand Jury Prize at the Austrian Music Theater Awards. The award celebrates his impactful career as a pianist, festival director, and cultural manager, acknowledging his significant contributions to the evolution of music theater.

The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on September 8 at the Votivkirche in Vienna. Hinterhäuser's recognition comes after his departure from the Salzburg Festival in March, a decision that followed considerable debate regarding his leadership approach and perceived unilateral actions.

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Markus Hinterhäuser has not only shaped music theater but has also consistently encouraged it to think beyond its own boundaries.

The jury's citation highlighted Hinterhäuser's role in pushing music theater beyond its conventional boundaries. It praised his courage in embracing the unconventional, his foresight in programming, and his keen ability to identify exceptional artistic talent. These qualities, the jury stated, created new avenues for interaction, discourse, and artistic experience, thereby providing crucial impetus for the development of music theater.

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With his courage for the unusual, his programmatic foresight, and his unerring sense for exceptional artistic personalities, he has created new spaces for encounter, discourse, and artistic experience and thus provided decisive impulses for the development of music theater.