 
Heinrich Spängler
Helga Rabl-Stadler
G. Schwaighofer
Josef Hussek
Great success
The little match girl
DaPonte in Santa Fe
Masterclasses
Young Directors
Forging links
The Camerata
Compulsory
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LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVES
Gerbert Schwaighofer took over responsibility for the
finances of the Salzburg Festival in October 2001
Gerbert Schwaighofer has two doctorates: one in management studies and one in law, awarded by the universities of Linz and Vienna, and he also gained an MBA (Master of Business Administration) in Fontainebleau. He was marketing director with the pharmaceutical concern SmithKline and then set up his own business in Linz – a chain of snack bars called “Appetitio” which served healthy food during the daytime. How and why did he become involved in the arts? He became “infected” when his father invited him to a performance at the Salzburg Festival to celebrate passing his final examinations at school, the Matura. First they had a meal in the Hotel Kobenzl and then they went to see Le Misanthrope starring Romuald Pekny and Sylvia Manas.
Enthusiastic theatre-goer
While he was a student he was an enthusiastic theatre-goer, says Schwaighofer. “For about two or three years I saw every theatre production in Vienna – even on the smallest stages.” He also went to the opera but not quite so frequently. In 1989 when he lost his appetite for “Appetitio”, he sold the company. One day when he was taking a walk along the Linzer Landstrasse he met a former school-friend who worked in the personnel department of the Upper Austrian government. He told Schwaighofer that the post of the business director for the Landestheater in Linz and the Bruckner Orchestra was being advertised. Schwaighofer applied, was appointed and remained in office until 1999.
Decision in favour of Salzburg
The last stage before Salzburg was Graz where he was manager for the “Graz 2003 – Cultural Capital of Europe” project. Schwaighofer decided on Salzburg and the Salzburg Festival because he sees “long-term perspectives” here. Besides estimating the annual budget and supervising its implementation, his tasks as business director include strategic budgetary and financial planning, supervision, marketing and all business matters. Administrative affairs, the ticket office, technical department and estates office are also the responsibility of the business director.
Gerbert Schwaighofer
was appointed business
director of the Salzburg Festival on 1 October 2001.
Optimal working conditions for artists
Offering excellent service for Festival guests and the best possible working conditions for the artists are of prime importance for Gerbert Schwaighofer. The Salzburg Festival is renowned all over the world also for its technical staff, workshops and costume department; here stage-directors, set- and costume-designers experience greater understanding and support in realising their artistic ideas and projects than anywhere else. It is Gerbert Schwaighofer’s declared aim to make use of the available economic resources in such a way that they allow optimal artistic conditions and that also sufficient funds remain to maintain the Salzburg Festival as a technically well functioning enterprise. “It is a question of ensuring that the internal working conditions are such that all expectations made of an institution of this size can be fulfilled.” He strives to achieve “a balance between artistic budget and service”. For instance the major part of the annual budget of around 2 43 million is expended in the artistic sphere. Besides the main task of "allowing as much leeway as possible in the artistic budget, the service sector throughout the entire administration must be able to operate efficiently.” Reflecting on his first six months in Salzburg Schwaighofer says “it’s a nice job” and is looking forward to the first Festival season for which he also shares responsibility.
Ticket office of the Salzburg Festival
Telephone: 0043 662 8045-500
Telefax: 0043 662 8045-555
E-mail: info@salzburgfestival.at