From July 3 to 3 August 2025, the "Carinthian Summer" cultural festival invites you to a diverse program of music, literature and innovative formats with around 50 events.
At the beginning of March, artistic director Nadja Kayali hosted an event in Villach's Bambergsaal to present the program of the "Carinthian Summer 2025". A special highlight is the renowned cellist Julia Hagen, who will perform as "Artist in Residence" at three concerts. The motto of this year's festival is "moving" and focuses on particularly strong female artists.
Musical highlights of the festival
The program offers a wide range of top-class musical performances. On July 18, for example, the "Balkan Paradise Orchestra", consisting of ten female musicians from Barcelona, will perform. In addition, six female musicians from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will perform on July 30. Another highlight is the concert on 25 July, where pianist Gabriela Montero will perform improvised versions of Carinthian songs together with the Carinthian Provincial Youth Choir - with the opportunity to actively involve the audience, as Kayali emphasized.
Cellist Julia Hagen © Julia Wesely
Marin Alsop's farewell as chief conductor
Marin Alsop gives her last concert as chief conductor of the RSO Vienna and bids farewell with works by Gershwin and Bernstein. The RSO Vienna has been the festival orchestra of the Carinthian Summer since 2024. The farewell concert on August 23 will be recorded by ORF III. Other musical highlights include saxophonist Yvonne Moriel with her project "Sweetlife" (29 July) and Christian Muthspiel and his "Orjazztra Vienna", who will present a jazz work in honor of the poet Ernst Jandl on 24 July.
Literature program: readings and new works
This year, Artistic Director Kayali is once again awarding writing commissions to Austrian authors. The resulting works on the theme of "Hope" will be presented in the popular "Morning Concerts" with free admission. A special literary highlight is the reading of the fable "Zöglinge" by the author Schenja Berkowitsch, who was imprisoned in Russia. The text was smuggled out of prison and translated especially for the Carinthian Summer. Other literary program items include readings by Joachim Meyerhoff as well as an evening with baritone Georg Nigl and actress Birgit Minichmayr, who will interpret texts by Maria Lassnig.
New formats and festival highlights
A special innovation in 2025 is the "Drumherumhören" format, which presents all 15 string quartets by Dmitri Shostakovich from July 26 to August 2. These works will be performed by the Eliot Quartet in walking concerts, which will also include readings, walks and culinary offerings. Another festival premiere is the "Giro d'arte" by opera singer Wolfgang Bankl, which leads around Lake Ossiach.
The festival will kick off with two opening concerts in Villach's parish church: on July 3, the Basel Chamber Orchestra will perform together with mezzo-soprano Patricia Nolz, followed by a chamber concert with the Trio Van Beethoven on July 4.
July 3 to August 3, 2025
