# Salzburg Festival leadership appointment

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/salzburg-festival-leadership-appointment
> Updated: 2026-09-18T15:35:00.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2.

The Salzburg Festival board has appointed Belgian dramaturge and cultural manager Peter de Caluwe as the new artistic director. De Caluwe, who previously served as general director of the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, is scheduled to begin a five-year term on October 1, 2027.

His appointment follows the departure of Markus Hinterhäuser, who left the position after a conflict with the festival’s curatorium, and unsuccessful negotiations for a dual leadership model involving Barrie Kosky and Sophie de Lint. De Caluwe will begin preparatory work in October 2024, working alongside interim director Karin Bergmann.

In addition to the new directorate, the board has reappointed Kristina Hammer as president of the festival for a second five-year term, effective January 1, 2027.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-18: Peter de Caluwe named Salzburg Festival artistic director

Peter de Caluwe, former director of La Monnaie, has been named the new artistic director of the Salzburg Festival, succeeding Markus Hinterhäuser starting October 2027.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/peter-de-caluwe-named-salzburg-festival-artistic-director

### 2026-09-16: Peter de Caluwe appointed artistic director of Salzburg Festival

Peter de Caluwe has been appointed as the new artistic director of the Salzburg Festival, succeeding interim leader Karin Bergmann after previous leadership negotiations failed.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/peter-de-caluwe-appointed-artistic-director-of-salzburg-festival

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Cite as: Salzburg Festival leadership appointment. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/salzburg-festival-leadership-appointment