Austria as theater and ideology

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Austria's Salzburg Festival has long grappled with cultural identity, particularly in light of its complex twentieth-century history. This tension became evident in 1999 when the Austrian president criticized the festival's direction under Gerard Mortier, advocating a return to the ideals of its founder, Hugo von Hofmannsthal. This sparked a renewed debate about the Festival's future, mirroring broader discussions about Austria's identity. The controversy intensified later that year when Joerg Haider's right-wing Freedom Party formed a coalition with the conservative People's Party, igniting backlash from Austria's European Union partners. Michael P. Steinberg's insightful examination of the Salzburg Festival traces its origins from the aftermath of World War I and the Habsburg Empire's collapse. He highlights the Festival's connection to significant issues in Austrian and German ideology, particularly the concept of "nationalist cosmopolitanism," which has influenced German and Austrian culture since the Enlightenment. Steinberg explores how the Festival embodies this paradoxical tradition and addresses contemporary cultural conflicts in Austria. His work serves as both a detailed history of a vital cultural institution and a profound analysis of the intricate relationship between culture and politics in early twenty-first-century Europe.