House for Mozart,k Salzburg, Austria

Object Type
Concert Halls

Client
Haus für Mozart Errichtungsgesellschaft

Architects
Holzbauer, Irresberger, Hermann & Valentiny, Vienna/Luxembourg

Completion
2006

Expertises
Room Acoustics
Building Acoustics

On the occasion of Mozart's 250th birthday in 2006, the Salzburg Festival gained a new opera and concert hall, the House for Mozart. It was built in the festival area located in the heart of Salzburg's old town, on the site of the former Small Festival Hall (Kleines Festspielhaus).

The rectangular shape of the hall with its curved rear wall is based on historical models. New raking stalls and the sloped first and second balconies ensure a very clear line of sight and a perfect supply with direct sound for an audience of up to 1,600. In order to improve sound uniformity, the side walls as well as the balcony soffits were covered with finely structured, scattering surfaces. This way, both the spatial sound perception and the impression of music "enveloping" the audience could be intensified considerably.

The orchestra enclosure specifically designed for the House for Mozart turns the opera house into a concert hall for soloist concerts, for chamber music from all musical epochs as well as for symphonic works.

Upon completion and opening at the beginning of the Festival summer 2006, it became clear that as compared to the former Small Festival Hall, the now longer reverberation time of approx. 1.6 seconds achieved in the fully occupied hall is ideal. Also due to its compact design, the House for Mozart is a venue offering perfect conditions for music of the Viennese Classical period.

Image Copyright
1 Hermann & Valentiny et Associés
2 MBBM-BSO
3 MBBM-BSO
4 MBBM-BSO