For the second edition of PUPPETS!, we are once again inviting outstanding European ensembles to showcase the diverse aspects of marionette theatre on stage in Salzburg.
October 23–25, 2026
What makes the Salzburg Marionette Theatre different from other theatres? – On the stage, the marionettes are the protagonists, and the people are behind – or rather, above it all. Because, while down on the stage these finely-crafted marionettes perform plays, fairy-tales, musicals and operas, it's the skilled puppeteers two metres above them who guide all their movements with a special technique, each on 12 strings. The puppeteers, who have mastered this unique method, bring the marionettes to miraculous life.
This special performance technique, has been declared a cultural asset worthy of preservation, as the "most highly developed form of puppet and figure theatre", earning the Salzburg Marionette Theatre a place in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
We have had two memorable and enriching weeks. From 19 September to 3 October 2026, Matthias Bundschuh’s production of Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, with set design by Georg Baselitz, was revived for the first time since the 2025 Salzburg Festival and staged in twelve performances across seven European cities.The tour began in Germany with performances in Berlin as part of the Musikfest and in Munich (Prinzregententheater). The first performances in French took place in Ghent (Flanders Festival, Salle MIRY) and Brussels (Bozar). The ensemble then travelled to Amsterdam (Muziekgebouw), Monheim am Rhein (Kulturraffinerie) and finally to Luxembourg (Philharmonie).It was a great pleasure for us to be able to present The Soldier’s Tale once again with Dominique Horwitz as narrator and the ensemble led by Isabelle Faust. Our special thanks also go to Impresariat Simmenauer, all the organisers and the audience, whose enthusiasm once again showed the power of this production.
PROGRAMME