The new team of Tiroler Festspiele Erl is taking charge of children and youth outreach work and bundling the many initiatives under the new title "Young Festspielhaus". This will in the future include not only target group-appropriate concerts but also various projects where children and young people can not only take a look behind the scenes of the festival but are also invited to actively engage with the content of the works.

Introducing children and young people to classical music, operas - and everything that goes with it - has always played a major role at Tiroler Festspiele Erl. "With 'Young Festspielhaus', children and youth outreach becomes a permanent part of the festival - and that is a major concern for us," summarizes Commercial Director Natascha Müllauer. A total of seven offerings - individually adapted to interests, abilities and age groups - enable the next generation to gain deep insights into the world of opera and classical music. Additionally, the program brings children and young people closer to the most diverse aspects of the culture surrounding them through playful interaction, thus creating a playful approach. "We want to take the children literally 'by the hand' and bring them closer to our fascinating world of theater and music. And surely we can also learn from the young people," artistic director Andreas Leisner is pleased to say.

So under the title Children on the Opera Stage! children will in the future not only be able to accompany the varied rehearsal work during the creation of an opera, but can also simultaneously be an active part of the performances. This concept will be implemented for the first time at Easter as part of the performance of Richard Wagner's 'Parsifal', where the children can be part of the staging as 'Forest Keepers' and 'Grail Children'.

In the Opera Buddies project, children of primary school age have the chance to get to know the festival operations alongside a main actor and take a look behind the scenes in an area of their choice! Possible areas here are technology, costume/makeup, dance up to direction. The project has already started successfully, there are only a few places left in June and July 2019.

The School Project 'The Birds' deals with the opera of the same name by Walter Braunfels, which will be performed at this year's Summer Festival. Tiroler Festspiele Erl invite students from around 14 years of age to engage with the work and work out the content in groups. Project days, where entire school classes can be guests, are carried out free of charge for schools and students and also grant insight into the rehearsal proceedings on and behind the stage. Teachers who are interested in participating in this project with their classes can contact young-festspielhaus@tiroler-festspiele.at.

Music outreach in cooperation with the Tiroler Musikschulwerk will also be continued as part of the Summer Festival 2019. A concert on Saturday, June 29, 2019 at 11:00 AM in the Festspielhaus Erl offers music students the opportunity to perform, presenting their ensemble work and a small festival surprise to a large audience.

Young musicians between the ages of 16 and 26 can participate in the Orchestra Academy of Tiroler Festspiele Erl again from 2020. This serves to promote highly gifted young musicians who are in transition from studies to the musical professional world. The academy includes a one-week intensive workshop with musicians and conductors of the festival, ending with a concert evening in the Festspielhaus. Participation in the Orchestra Academy requires an application process and is free of charge for participants upon successful admission.

Additionally, Tiroler Festspiele Erl also continue to offer individual and ensemble lessons as part of the next generation promotion. Three section leaders of the festival orchestra in the subjects horn, clarinet and violin are available to young talents from the region. As part of this instruction, chamber music concerts with lecturers and students of the Young Festspielhaus take place once or twice a year.

For questions about individual projects, please contact Ms. Anna Leisner, 0043 664 8258 169 (9 AM - 12 PM) or by email at young-festspielhaus@tiroler-festspiele.at