Legal dispute over Davydova: Salzburg Festival in the crisis!

Legal dispute over Davydova: Salzburg Festival in the crisis!

The stage of the Salzburg Festival is currently being shaken by a huge argument. Marina Davydova, who has recently been on leave as acting chief, vehemently defends herself against her termination without notice and is planning legal steps. In a strong statement to the APA, she explained: "I am convinced that my discharge is illegal." Originally, she wanted to publish a personal statement, but withdrew it on the advice of her lawyers. Davydova, who only worked in her first season and whose contract ran until 2026, reacted emotionally to the sudden separation and said: "[I am] overwhelmed by feelings in Salzburg after the events in relation to me."

dispute over breach of contract

The reason for Davydova's release is a controversial cooperation with the Berlin “Voices. Performing Arts Festival”. The Salzburg Festival accuse her of having not displayed or approved this activity in good time, which is considered as a breach of contract. In an interview with Ö1, director Markus Hinterhäuser made it clear that the termination could only be attributed to contractual violations of the rules and excluded artistic differences as a reason. In contrast, Karsten Witt, co -organizer of the Berlin festival, argues that Davydova had only played an advisory role and was not an active member of the project, as reported.

The decision to relieve Davydova came as a surprise and has the potential to significantly influence the next season of the festival, since its successor should be decided according to the back houses without a public tender. This could cause further tensions within the creative community. The Situation remains tense and it remains to be seen how Davydova's legal steps will go out and what new developments will develop in this dramatic chapter of the Salzburg Festival. You can find out more about the background and the emotional reactions of Davydova in the article by Today.at .