Styriarte (also written styriarte) is an annual summer festival of classical music in

Graz Graz () is the capital of the Austrian Federal states of Austria, federal state of Styria and the List of cities and towns in Austria, second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna. On 1 January 2025, Graz had a population of 306,068 (343,461 inc ...

and

Styria Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the country. With an area of approximately , Styria is Austria's second largest state, after Lower Austria. It is bordered to the south by Slovenia, and cloc ...

, Austria, established in 1985. It is focused on

Early music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750) or Ancient music (before 500 AD). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad Dates of classical ...

Baroque music Baroque music ( or ) refers to the period or dominant style of Classical music, Western classical music composed from about 1600 to 1750. The Baroque style followed the Renaissance music, Renaissance period, and was followed in turn by the Class ...

and music of the Classical period. Intended to showcase the work of

Nikolaus Harnoncourt Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt (6 December 1929 – 5 March 2016) was an Austrian conductor, known for his historically informed performances. He specialized in music of the Baroque period, but later extended his repertoire to include Classical ...

in his hometown, it grew to locations in the region and survived his death.

History

Kurt Jungwirth, as ''Kulturlandesrat'' responsible for cultural politics in the state of

, wanted to tie conductor

closer to his hometown

. The focus of the first Styriarte was

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

, with Harnoncourt's

Concentus Musicus Wien Concentus Musicus Wien (CMW) is an Austrian baroque music ensemble based in Vienna. The CMW is recognized as a pioneer of the period-instrument performance movement. History Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Alice Harnoncourt co-founded the CMW in 19 ...

playing a leading role. The festival was directed by Andrea Herberstein and Wolfgang Schuster, a member of the Wiener Philharmoniker. The first festival was staged in the summer of 1985. In 1987, Harnoncourt also conducted the

Chamber Orchestra of Europe The Chamber Orchestra of Europe (COE), established in 1981, is an orchestra based in London. The orchestra comprises about 60 members from across Europe. The players pursue parallel careers as international soloists, members of chamber groups and ...

. The event ''Ein Fest für Haydn'' (A feast for

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

) in

Schloss Eggenberg Eggenberg Palace () in Graz, is the most significant Baroque palace complex in the Austrian state of Styria. With its preserved accouterments, the extensive scenic gardens, as well as some special collections from the Universalmuseum Joanneum ho ...

became a success with the audience. In 1988, Christopher Widauer succeeded Herberstein. A year later, the baroque church of Stainz was the first festival venue outside Graz, where Harnoncourt conducted concerts with the Concentus Musicus and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor. In 1991, Mathis Huber succeeded Widauer. In 1992, the focus changed from one composer per year to a motto.

Jordi Savall Jordi Savall i Bernadet (; born 1 August 1941) is a Spanish Conducting, conductor, composer and viol player. He has been one of the major figures in the field of Western early music since the 1970s, largely responsible for popularizing the viol ...

became another internationally known conductor performing for the festival. Stiftskirche Rein - Innenraum 1

Venues of the festival were later also the ''Römersteinbruch'' (Roman quarry) in Wagna, the Stift St. Lambrecht, Stift Rein and other locations in Styria, including the newly opened from 2003, and the from 2007. In 2005, a staged production of Bizet's ''

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the O ...

'' with Harnoncourt received international attention. From 2007, when the motto was ''Wanted: Europa'', the broadcaster ORF aired concerts live. From 2008 the festival followed the model of the

Bayreuth Festival The Bayreuth Festival () is a music festival held annually in Bayreuth, Germany, at which performances of stage works by the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner are presented. Wagner himself conceived and promoted the idea of a special ...

and the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

in New York, offering " public viewing"; the first work presented was Mozart's '' Coronation Mass'' with Harnoncourt in the parish church of Stainz.

Performers

Leading performers of the festival have included, besides Harnoncourt and Savalli, the Quatuor Mosaiques, Armonico Tributo Austria and Il Giardino Armonico. After Harnoncourt's death in 2016, conductors Karina Canellakis,Karina Canellakis on instantencore.com
/ref> Andrés Orozco-Estrada and Jeremie Rhorer appeared in 2016, sharing the planned project to present all Beethoven Symphonies. The number of symphony concerts was reduced from eleven to seven, while the tickets sold stayed almost the same, at 33.000 for 64 events, more than 90% of the available seats.

References

External links

*
31 Jahre styriarte mit Nikolaus Harnoncourt
styriarte (2016) {{authority control Classical music festivals in Austria Music festivals established in 1985 1985 establishments in Austria Festivals in Graz