Salzburg Festival: The Intriguer Grins Shamelessly – How Much Longer?

The Salzburg Festival's current summer season is overshadowed by "The Misanthrope," a play by Molière whose themes of hypocrisy and social maneuvering eerily reflect the real-life drama surrounding the festival itself. The production has become the "play of the hour" amidst a bitter summer, particularly following the politically charged dismissal of Intendant Markus Hinterhäuser.

Director Jette Steckel had already noted the play's relevance before the political machinations against Hinterhäuser began. Now, the festival's reality seems to seep from every pore of the production. Instead of relief, there is palpable grief among artists and staff over the loss of an intendant deemed too independent for regional politicians. Molière's character Alceste rails against the "intriguer" hiding behind a "statesmanlike gaze" and "thick plaster of phrases," but in the absolutist society of Louis XIV, such honesty is powerless against those who uphold a rigid code of "bienséance", the appearance of propriety.

This concept of "proper behavior" is echoed in Salzburg, where Governor Karoline Edtstadler and Mayor Bernhard Auinger allegedly used the lack of "good conduct" as a pretext to oust the successful intendant in February, without providing substantial reasons. Following a request from former cultural manager Sven Hartberger, whose recent book details these events, the festival fund must now disclose the significant follow-up costs. This is unlikely to be the last damage inflicted upon the festival.

The article questions how such actions could be publicly justified, even temporarily. Molière's "The Misanthrope," and even more so "Tartuffe," offer ample material to understand this culture of appearances. The play demonstrates how individuals can exploit prevailing moral standards for their own ends, prioritizing a flawless facade over genuine consideration or kindness. The current situation at the Salzburg Festival appears to be a stark illustration of this enduring human tendency.

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Through his mask grins the shameless intriguer, his statesmanlike gaze, his thick plaster of phrases no longer deceives anyone.