The Salzburg Festival has named Peter de Caluwe as its next Artistic Director, taking up the position in October 2027.
De Caluwe’s appointment was announced alongside the renewal of Kristina Hammer’s contract as Festival President for a further five years from January 2027.
From next month, de Caluwe will work alongside Interim Artistic Director Karin Bergmann in preparing for the 2027 edition. Bergmann oversaw this year's festival, taking up the interim position after the termination of Markus Hinterhäuser's contract in March.
De Caluwe is the former Artistic Director of Brussels’ La Monnaie | De Munt from 2008 to 2025, establishing an international reputation across opera and dance. His appointment comes at a significant moment for Salzburg, which is beginning a major renovation and rebuilding programme. He sees the changes as an opportunity to explore new performance spaces and rethink how the Festival engages with its audiences.
“I am interested in encounters between generations and artistic genres, between different aesthetic languages, between artists and their audience, as well as with people who have yet to discover the Festival,” said de Caluwe. “I envision a Festival that is deeply rooted in Salzburg, yet open to the world – that surprises and touches people, opening new perspectives for them.”
Salzburg Mayor Bernhard Auinger praised de Caluwe’s approach, describing his ideas as “refreshing and inspiring” and highlighting his plans to develop creative approaches to the Festival’s future spaces and audiences.
