Shy glances and elegant outfits on the terrace of the “Salzburg backdrop”: You can immediately recognize those who are experienced in the cultural scene and build on experience on the one hand and the young interested people on the other. Those who want to be infected by the magic of high culture and classical music.
The age does not necessarily say anything about the role of the individual guests: such as Elena Zukriegel (22) and her “godchild” Jennifer Brüggler (25). The native of Salzburg grew up with a close family connection to the festival. She was already on stage at the age of eight and was part of the children’s and youth choirs at festivals and state theatres. “Of course that has an impact,” she says. Superstars like Jonas Kaufmann or conductor Sir Simon Rattle were within reach at a performance. She likes to bring a youthful perspective to the sponsorship project. “Great,” her godchild, a physics student from Pongau, rejoices at the opportunity. She loves classical music, but has had little contact with the festival so far.
“The Summer Festival in particular has a very elite reputation,” says Brüggler, and among friends as an opera visitor you are quickly “looked at like a unicorn,” she laughs.