Courageous Foundation
Gustav Kuhn founded the festival in 1997 and successfully conducted it for the first time in the summer of 1998. The program at that time included numerous concerts as well as 'Das Rheingold' by Richard Wagner. Encouraged by the first success, the director and conductor followed with the other parts of the Ring in the years up to 2001 and presented the complete tetralogy for the first time in 2003. In 2005, he caused an international sensation with the performance of the so-called '24h Ring'. Until 2012, he directed all 10 of Wagner's great music dramas in his own direction in Erl, in addition to presenting other titles such as Elektra, Fidelio, The Magic Flute and others. With the orchestra of the Tiroler Festspiele, which he founded in 1999, he performed all symphonies by Anton Bruckner and Ludwig van Beethoven over the years. In December 2012, the Festspielhaus Erl, the festival's second venue, was ceremoniously opened. Here Kuhn presented a rich program, especially with a Mozart and Belcanto focus, but was also able to realize over 70 world premieres. Kuhn led the festival until the summer of 2018, with the redesign of the 2018/2019 season, Andreas Leisner took over the artistic direction as artistic director on an interim basis, and from 2019 to 2024, Bernd Loebe was entrusted with the artistic direction of the Tiroler Festspiele.
New Accents
With a steady hand and drawing from a wealth of experience, Bernd Loebe led the Tiroler Festspiele Erl through the five years of his artistic direction. As artistic director of the Frankfurt Opera, which under his leadership was named "Opera House of the Year" (Opernwelt) four times, he receives regular international recognition and has an exceptionally large network that he used for the Tiroler Festspiele. Loebe ensured close cooperation between Erl and the Frankfurt Opera House. Bernd Loebe received special recognition from audiences and press for his courageous commitment to unjustly forgotten works of opera literature and his expert hand in the high-quality casting of performances. Not least, the implementation of the acclaimed new production of "Der Ring des Nibelungen" directed by Brigitte Fassbaender set an internationally sensational sign.
Strong Impulse
On September 1, 2024, Jonas Kaufmann took up his position as artistic director of the Tiroler Festspiele. Together with his team, chief conductor Asher Fisch and artistic advisor and casting director Ilias Tzempetonidis, Jonas Kaufmann sets sensational accents. For example, he presented a complete season (September – August) for the first time in April 2024, set a new focus on the interface between folk music and classical music with the "Ausklang" in October, and set a sign for living traditions with the Easter Festival. The highest artistic level of international format for the broadest possible audience, a diverse and accessible program also for reducing barriers, and a strong commitment to educational work are the most important core points that can be read from the presented program. International stars of the classical scene meet with young talents, whose promotion is a special concern of the artistic director, in Erl for a rendezvous.