Drama about the Salzburg Festival: Davydova loses her contract!

Drama about the Salzburg Festival: Davydova loses her contract!

The Salzburg Festival is once again in the spotlight after Marina Davydova, who was hired as acting director just a year ago, was fired. This decision comes amid harsh criticism and internal disagreements, as Davydova was following an appearance at the Berliner Voices. Performing Arts Festival accused of breaching their contract. Director Markus Hinterhäuser explained that there are clear rules for secondary employment and the festival deeply regrets the situation.

Focus on contractual obligations

The Salzburg Festival's board of directors, consisting of Kristina Hammer, Markus Hinterhäuser and Lukas Crepaz, approved Davydova's dismissal, which was originally in the contract until 2026. Their commitment was marked by turbulence, especially due to the new production of “Everyman”, which surprised the audience. Davydova herself said she was "overwhelmed" by the recent developments, but on the advice of her lawyers did not want to release a personal statement as to how Salzburg24 reported.

The reasons for the dismissal appear to go deeper than a simple breach of contract: According to members of the board of trustees, Davydova was reportedly critical of the festival on several occasions and did not always distinguish between professional and private activities when traveling on business. Her role as an advisory board member at the Berlin Festival may have resulted in her not complying with the contractual terms. Hinterhäuser pushed back against the idea that artistic differences or poor collaboration were the reason for the dismissal and emphasized the importance of sticking to the contract.

The Salzburg Festival has now decided to re-advertise the position of drama director, which points to the current uncertainty. Davydova, whose artistic vision has been severely tested over the past year, leaves behind a mixed legacy as the festival must consider its next steps.