Great Hall of the University
The Great Hall is one of the most beautiful and distinguished rooms at Salzburg University. In addition to countless other Salzburg composers, Leopold Mozart and his son, Wolfgang Amadeus, both gave concerts here.
Founded in 1622, the Benedictine university was the intellectual and cultural center of Salzburg, enjoying major recognition far beyond the borders of the principality itself. Performances presented by the student theater in the auditorium were some of Salzburg’s biggest social events. It was here, on May 13, 1767, that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera "Apollo et Hyacinthus", composed when he was barely 11 years old, was also given its first performance. Right in time for Mozart Year and after several years of renovations, in January 2005 the University Great Hall was reopened as a contemporary venue for concerts and special events.
In the course of general renovations based on plans drawn up by Salzburg architect Franz Fonatsch, the stage and backstage areas were expanded and dressing rooms installed for performers. Visitors can now also take advantage of a spacious cloakroom as well as barrier-free access. Furthermore, the University Great Hall also acquired improved acoustics and, thanks to the ascending rows of seats, far better stage visibility.
Nowadays, the freshly renovated University Great Hall is one of the most famous concert halls in Salzburg, right up there with the Mozarteum and the Grosses Festspielhaus. The Great Hall is located in the historic part of the city, in the heart of the so-called “festival district”, overlooking Furtwänglerpark and Max-Reinhardt-Platz. The University Great Hall provides an ideal venue for promotions, graduation ceremonies, advent events as well as concerts.
