Salzburg Festival Opens with "Jedermann" and New Faces

The renowned Salzburg Festival commences on Saturday with its traditional opening performance of "Jedermann" (Everyman) at 9 p.m.

Philipp Hochmair, 52, returns to embody the titular role, a character grappling with his mortality. This season marks the debut of Roxane Duran, 33, as Buhlschaft, the paramour. Duran, known for her roles in "The White Ribbon" and "Marie Antoinette," steps into the shoes of prominent actresses who have previously portrayed the character at Salzburg, including Senta Berger, Veronica Ferres, and Caroline Peters.

Hugo von Hofmannsthal's allegorical play, which centers on the death of a wealthy man, has been a staple of the Austrian festival for over a century, traditionally signaling its start.

Until the end of August, Salzburg will host a total of 208 opera, theater, and concert performances. This year's program highlights include a new production of Bizet's opera "Carmen," alongside world premieres of theater pieces by Nobel laureates Peter Handke ("Schnee von gestern, Schnee von morgen" - Snow of Yesterday, Snow of Tomorrow) and Elfriede Jelinek ("Unter Tieren" - Among Animals).