What does come to your mind when you think of an opera festival? Huge stuffy theater halls, hours-long performances and classic multi-level sets. Many people like such a leisure, but at the same time, there are lots of those who would better walk across a riverfront enjoying a summer evening. What if there is a place where walking in nature is combined with evenings of classical music?

For two summer months, Bregenz turns into a world-class cultural attraction. Throughout July and August, from morning to evening, classical music is played in different areas. Concerts, operas, operettas, plays and ballets are organized. Every year the Vienna Symphony Orchestra becomes one of the main guests of the festival. Its their music that accompanies the opening and closing of the art celebration. Although guests are entertained all day long, most people come to the main stage in the evening. The lake surface and mountain peaks, which became a heart and a hallmark of the festival, are illuminated by thousands of lights, creating unique decorations for the magic that performers make.

The main highlight of all the performances is the stage. A special platform is installed on 200 metal piles driven into the bottom of the lake. It is the biggest floating stage in the world. There is a hall with comfortable chairs on the shore, which can accommodate up to seven thousand people.

The tradition to make performances on the water appeared in the post-war time. The French armies stayed in Bregenz. After several days of rest, they decided to organize an unusual concert. Performers presented their plays on special rafts while the audience watched them from the shore. Soldiers and locals liked it so much that they decided to hold it every year.

The modern platform is equipped with an especial acoustic system, so the sounding there is perfect. The amazing combination of the unique Austrian nature, scenery, a soft summer night and a world-class artists’ performance makes the Bregenz festival unforgettable.