Legal dispute over Davydova: Salzburg Festival in crisis!

Legal dispute over Davydova: Salzburg Festival in crisis!

The stage of the Salzburg Festival is currently being rocked by a huge dispute. Marina Davydova, who was recently placed on leave as acting director, is vehemently defending herself against her dismissal without notice and is planning legal action. In a strong statement to the APA, she said: “I am convinced that my dismissal is unlawful.” She originally wanted to publish a personal statement, but withdrew it on the advice of her lawyers. Davydova, who was only in her first season and whose contract ran until 2026, reacted emotionally to the sudden split, saying: "[I am] overwhelmed with emotions after what happened to me in Salzburg."

Dispute over breach of contract

The reason for Davydova's dismissal is a controversial collaboration with the Berlin "Voices. Performing Arts Festival". The Salzburg Festival accuses her of not having reported or approved this activity in a timely manner, which is viewed as a breach of contract. Intendant Markus Hinterhäuser made it clear in an interview with Ö1 that the termination was only due to breaches of contractual rules and ruled out artistic differences as a reason. In contrast, Karsten Witt, co-organizer of the Berlin festival, argues that Davydova only took on an advisory role and was not an active member of the project, as stated by salzburg.ORF.at reported.

The decision to fire Davydova came as a surprise and has the potential to significantly impact the next season of the festival, as her successor will be decided without a public tender, according to Hinterhäuser. This could cause further tensions within the creative community. The situation remains tense, and it remains to be seen how Davydova's legal action will turn out and what new developments will unfold in this dramatic chapter of the Salzburg Festival. You can find out more about Davydova's background and emotional reactions in the article by Today.at.