Denis Fodor asked "Whither Salzburg?" - whither indeed!  .....  and what a
long way from my first visit at age 20 in 1960.  Tickets at 140 schillings
(USD 3), accommodation at $1.50 each in class E (a small private house in
the Gassewerkegasse) and early every evening, in dinner jackets and ready
for the show, we drove out of town, parked in a field and opened up the
back of the car, to cook our meal on a primus stove!

Operas:  Rosenkavalier (HvK), Giovanni (HvK), Cosi (Bohm), Don Carlos
(Santi), Figaro (Bohm), Flute (Keilberth).

This Festival (in its beautiful location) "lost" me long ago (they say that
the $10m worth of jewellery in the audience actually makes a noise rattling
during the performance?!).  Perhaps not in Elektra though?!

The idea of paying $500 for Berio, Birtwistle (and countless other B***s)
was long ago found to be too appalling to contemplate.  But if you are into
nostalgia in a big way the thing that changed the least in Austria, these
last 40 years is, sadly, the food!

(I have been back to the Festival on business - early 90s when someone else
was paying - but it was none the less shocking for that).

Now, what about Aix-en-Provence? The reports this year are of a fast
reviving and interesting festival in a lovely setting - good food, easy
parking, plenty of accommodation....  and, even if you needed one, nobody
will ask you to take your coat off!

John G. Deacon
Home page:     http://www.ctv.es/USERS/j.deacon
Campobello:   http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/campobello