Foreword
Dear opera lovers and fans of open-air summer festivals!
It is my honor to welcome you this year for the first time to the “Vienna Opera Summer Belvedere”, an event that combines beautiful music with the splendor of the Belvedere Palace in Vienna. The primary duty of an artist might be to serve the art for art’s sake and always strive for the highest quality. But beyond that, I strongly believe that it is equally my responsibility to interact with our audience and recognize the needs and desires of our time.
Our festival the “Vienna Opera Summer Belvedere” is the outcome of my deep love for the city of Vienna, numerous discussions with local music friends, as well as the realization of the wishes of so many tourists who come to the so called world’s capital of classical music year after year.
Our aim is to create a summer festival that delights the hearts of Viennese citizens, families and tourists from all over the world alike.
My outstanding team and I look forward to sharing unforgettable moments at the Belvedere Palace with you, our valued guests. We will do our best to create a unique opera experience for you and really hope to see as many happy faces as possible after each performance.
We would like to sincerely thank the Burghauptmannschaft Österreich, which made this project possible with its support as landlord and co-promoter. We would also like to thank the Mayor of Vienna, Dr. Michael Ludwig, for his trust in our work and the honorary patronage he has kindly bestowed upon us. Last but not least we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our private donors and sponsors, without whose generous support this festival would not be possible.
With best regards,
Joji Hattori
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR – Vienna Opera Summer BELVEDERE
