PUPPET THEATRE (MARIONETTENTHEATER)
The Salzburger Marionettentheater was designated an Austrian intangible cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 2016.
Put aside any preconceptions you may have: the discovery you are about to make is not just for children - far from it! In the pretty, baroque-style auditorium, the performances take on a grandiose dimension as soon as the artists take to the stage. You almost forget that the characters are made of wood! Recognized the world over, in 2016 Salzburger Marionettentheater was classified by UNESCO as part of Austria's intangible cultural heritage. That's how impressed you can be by the talent of the puppeteers! Founded in 1913, the theater made a name for itself worldwide with its production of The Magic Flute when it first toured Boston in 1952. A timeless production, its success has been undiminished ever since. In 2024, the company celebrates its 111th anniversary with a packed program: Le Carnaval des Animaux, Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Le Petit Prince, Pierre et le Loup, Fidelio and Roméo et Juliette, and of course the famous musical The Sound of Music. For those in a hurry, the Highlights, lasting around 30 minutes during the day, still allow you to discover this renowned company. An alternative for those who can't attend a Salzburg Festival production but still want to experience a remarkable piece of theater in Mozart's hometown. Poetry and lyricism are always present... and so are the subtitles!
Further information
Opening time and information on PUPPET THEATRE (MARIONETTENTHEATER)
Representations in original version (French subtitles available).
Owner's Message
We are a large theatre with small "actors" and a wide and varied repertoire which has charmed countless children and adults for a century, and has become famous throughout the world.
We present operas by various composers, including of course Mozart's Magic Flute, as well as the Salzburg classic The Sound of Music, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet and Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream or Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince. Children for sure will like Peter and the Wolf, Rumpelstiltskin or Alice in Wonderland. For children and those with little time to spare, we can also recommend our one-hour afternoon programme.
Comfortable seats (including pillows for the little ones to prop them up higher), and a bar for drinks during intermission, plus a few museum-like displays in the lobby (in German).
I think this particular show is especially fun to see if you have watched the Sound of Music film before, since you can see how they transformed the musical numbers into something puppet-friendly.