Hoch Kultur Festival opens in Innervillgraten with musical performance

The Hoch Kultur Festival has commenced in Innervillgraten, Austria, featuring a unique musical adaptation of Thomas Bernhard’s novel ‘Holzfällen’. The opening performance, held in a circus tent, featured actor Nicholas Ofczarek and the music band Franui. The production, which has been performed 55 times, combines narration with musical reflections ranging from classical to folk music.

Following the opening, the festival continued at the Unterstalleralm, located at an altitude of 1,673 meters. The event attracts a diverse audience to the alpine setting, offering a mix of high culture and traditional local food. Organizers noted the unique atmosphere of the open-air stage, though observations were made regarding the visible impacts of climate change, such as bark beetle infestations and wind-damaged slopes in the surrounding landscape.