Salzburg Festival's Messiaen Opera 'Saint François d'Assise' Stuns Audiences

The Salzburg Festival staged Olivier Messiaen’s monumental opera Saint François d’Assise, directed by Romeo Castellucci and starring Canadian bass‑baritone Philippe Sly. The production, lasting nearly six hours, featured demanding staging that saw Sly covered in mud, flour and blood as he embodied the saint, drawing critical praise for its spiritual intensity and the composer’s intricate bird‑motif music.

In parallel, the festival revived Gioachino Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims under Barrie Kosky, with soprano Cecilia Bartoli leading a vibrant hotel‑comedy reinterpretation that contrasted the darker tone of the earlier productions. Reviewers highlighted the high‑calibre ensemble, the complex orchestration, and the festival’s ability to deliver both dramatic depth and light‑hearted spectacle despite recent leadership turbulence.

Both works underscored the Salzburg Festival’s role as a premier venue for ambitious operatic revivals, attracting international artists and audiences.