A festival for Franz Schubert which would accord him his due place alongside Mozart and Beethoven – this was the idea behind the first Schubertiade, which was founded by Hermann Prey in 1976 in the small town of Hohenems situated in the most western part of Austria. This quickly developed into one of the most renowned of all festival locations, becoming an annual meeting place for an international audience that seeks an exceptional cultural experience: hearing music performed by outstanding artists in idyllic surroundings. The concerts, furthermore, are not presented in some anonymous or interchangeable international festival, but are part of a structured festival programme whose distinctive identity is formed by an uncompromising dedication to the art of Franz Schubert.

Today, with about 70 events and over 30,000 visitors per year, the Schubertiade is the most significant and most distinguished Schubert festival in the world. Nowhere else are so many lieder recitals presented in such a short frame of time by such world-class singers. Chamber concerts and piano recitals of the highest calibre represent another branch of the annual Schubertiade programme, which additionally features some orchestral concerts, readings and masterclasses. In contrast to the hustle and bustle prevailing at other festivals, the Schubertiade takes care to preserve the more intimate character of a music festival where energies can be concentrated on what really matters: music-making of exemplary quality.

Consequently, the list of artists who have performed at the Schubertiade reads like a “Who’s Who“ of the lieder and chamber music scene. In addition, it is part of the Schubertiade tradition to nurture young talent; by scheduling artists at the beginning of their career, the festival gives the opportunity to its audience of making some exciting new discoveries.

The venues
As far as venues are concerned, the Schubertiade can be said to have had something of a troubled history. When the Palace at Hohenems was renovated for a regional exhibition and the Schubertiade was faced with the prospect of having to scale down its programme dramatically for the 1991 season, the decision was taken to relocate the festival in its entirety to the neighbouring town of Feldkirch, where a substantial portion of the concerts had been held in previous years. From 1994 to 2000 the concerts in Feldkirch were accompanied by so called “Landpartien” - country outings in the style of Franz Schubert. These led audiences to venues situated in enchanting landscapes, such as Propstei St. Gerold, a provost’s residence in the Walsertal valley, Achberg Castle in the romantic Argental valley in Germany, and the Lake of Constance island of Lindau (1997-1999). Starting in 1994, Schwarzenberg in Bregenz Forest was also the destination of an annual “Landpartie”, and the town has now become an established Schubertiade venue since completion of the extension of the Angelika Kauffmann Hall in 2001.

Angelica Kauffmann Hall
With the refurbished Angelika Kauffmann Hall in Schwarzenberg, the festival now has at its disposal a venue that leaves nothing to be desired. The handsome wooden hall can boast exceptional acoustics which have been praised by artists and audiences alike. The press has also been very favourably impressed. The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung has written that the Angelika Kauffmann Hall is now one of the three best chamber music venues in the whole of Austria, along with the Mozart Hall of the Vienna Konzerthaus and the Salzburg Mozarteum. The Berlin-based daily Die Welt has compared it in quality with London’s Wigmore Hall, and the Neue Zürcher Zeitung has described the refurbished hall’s acoustics as “nothing short of ideal”. Enjoyment of the musical offerings is further enhanced by the fact that the superb concert hall is located amid ravishing scenery.

Visitors find themselves in the heart of nature, with meadows and forests reaching up to the town and imposing mountains in the distance. The centre of the town of Schwarzenberg is only a few minutes’ walk from the hall. Before the concerts start and in the intervals, visitors gather in front of the hall or on the terrace which is connected to the gallery and enjoy the fine panoramic view, or find a secluded spot around the hall to get into the right mood for the coming concert. Two horn players signal that a performance is about to begin by playing duos by Franz Schubert.

Markus Sittikus Hall
After a break of 15 years, the Schubertiade is to hold concerts in Hohenems again, where the festival was originally based. The Hohenems concerts will supplement the usual programme in Schwarzenberg. The venue in Hohenems is the multipurpose hall of the Turnverein 1885 Hohenems, which was built in the years 1911 - 1913 and is a protected historical monument. Situated near hohenems Palace, the hall has been leased long-term to the Schubertiade and has been converted into a concert hall. The concert hall will be known as Markus Sittikus Hall in commemoration of one of the most prominent natives of Hohenems. Count Markus Sittikus of Hohenems was Prince Archbishop of Salzburg, in which capacity he decisively altered the appearance of the city by building the cathedral and Hellbrunn summer palace. He also can be seen as founding Salzburg's great operatic tradition since he presided over the first ever opera performances to be held outside Italy, an act of great significance in music history.

From the square in front of Markus Sittikus Hall concert goers will be able to enjoy a fine view of the steep Schlossberg mountain on top of which stand remains of the once mighty Altems Castle where Markus Sittikus was born in 1574 . The large meadow next to the hall is all that now remains of a large area of parkland laid out in Markus Sittikus's day and with his keen involvement.

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