Bregenz Festival breaks visitor record: 249,000 celebrate until the end!

Bregenz Festival breaks visitor record: 249,000 celebrate until the end!

The 79th Bregenz Festival is coming to an end, and the event has proven to be a real magnet for culture lovers. More than 249,000 visitors are expected to attend around 80 events this season, making the festival a highlight of the cultural calendar in Austria. A considerable number of these visitors gathered around the lake stage, where over 180,000 people watched the performance of the opera “Der Freischütz”. Weekly Newspaper reports that capacity at the lake stage was an impressive 97%, but organizers still had to contend with the vagaries of the weather: two performances were affected by rain.

Festival President Hans-Peter Metzler was enthusiastic about the summer: “The season was extremely successful.” The new artistic director Lilli Paasikivi also praised the audience, which she described as “fantastic” and “enthusiastic”. The success is no coincidence, as the festival's budget totals 27 million euros, of which 6.94 million euros come in the form of subsidies from the public sector.

Weather Impact and Refunds

The unexpected rain showers even meant that one performance was canceled and another could not begin. The festival had to pay around 450,000 euros in refunds for the performances that did not take place. Although this loss has affected the organizers, the high number of visitors speaks for the continued interest and popularity of the festival.

There is a special treat for visitors interested in art: Philipp Stölzl's bizarre stage sets can be viewed during the day. After the end of the festival, dismantling work on the lake stage will begin on Monday, which will take around four to five weeks. The traditional sale of the props is expected to take place at the end of October, an event that attracts many collectors.

A look ahead to next season

The anticipation for the next season is already great. The 2026 premiere season will open with “La traviata” on July 22, 2026. The audience can also expect the premiere of “The Excursions of Mr. Brouček” on July 23, 2026 in the Festival Hall. The ongoing commitment to high art is illustrated by the planned advance sales, which begin on September 29, 2025.

The composition of the visitors is also noteworthy: 63% come from Germany, 23% from Austria, while 11% come from Switzerland and Liechtenstein and 3% from the rest of the world. Bregenz remains an internationally valued place for culture enthusiasts. The maximum seats on the lake stage are 6,722.

This time in particular shows how strongly the Bregenz Festival is rooted in the region. The cultural heritage is strengthened by the high level of participation and commitment of all participants, over 1,000 people. The festivals are without a doubt an indispensable part of Austria's cultural and social landscape.