For decades, the Salzburg Marionette Theatre has been a cherished guest in Japan. As early as 1958, the ensemble appeared with The Magic Flute at the first Osaka Festival, followed by performances in Tokyo. Further successful tours took place in 1992, 1995, 1998, 2002 and 2004.
After more than twenty years, the theatre has now returned to Japan, presenting itself as a vibrant institution within Salzburg’s cultural scene at the World Exposition EXPO 2025 in Osaka.
The ensemble in front of the Austria pavilion
This time, however, it was not an operatic classic on the programme but a musical: the lively production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music. The story of the Trapp Family, featuring world-famous songs such as Do Re Mi and My Favorite Things, enjoys great popularity in Japan – and this year marks the 60th anniversary of the film adaptation starring Julie Andrews.
Two performances on Thursday, 25 September 2025, at the Festival Station on the EXPO grounds were met with great enthusiasm from the audience. The theatre then continued on to Matsumoto to present three further performances at Harmony Hall on 29 and 30 September.
Our sincere thanks go to the Salzburger Landesregierung and the Salzburger Land Tourismus GmbH for their support at EXPO, as well as to the City Government of Matsumoto, Japan, together with the Salzburg–Matsumoto Executive Committee.