The risk of the corona pandemic is too great: The Garmisch-Partenkirchen district office canceled the Richard Strauss Festival around six weeks before the start.
The Richard Strauss Festival 2020 will not take place this year due to the corona crisis and the related restrictions on cultural events. Town hall spokeswoman Ute Leitner said. The district office of Garmisch-Partenkirchen as the responsible security and infection control authority prohibited the organization of the music festival as a major event on April 30th. The security law notice states: "According to the risk assessment of the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Health Office, it is not to be expected that the risk situation caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus will change significantly until the beginning or the planned end of the event." The risk is too high that new chains of infection arise.
"The cancellation is understandable in every respect, but also a bitter cut in the cultural life of Garmisch-Partenkirchen," emphasizes Mayor Dr. Sigrid Meierhofer (SPD), who had her last day in office on April 30. “In the current situation, it is not possible to organize the festival under the usual conditions and quality requirements. I very much hope that we will be able to catch up on the program next year under the existing funding conditions. I therefore ask all protagonists for their support so that it is possible to lead this essential part of our cultural identity into the future even in difficult times. This can only be achieved together and in constructive cooperation. "
The program is to be postponed to June 18-27, 2021 under the motto "Humanitas.Mensch". Cards for 2020 should remain valid for 2021 or be exchanged for equivalent vouchers (valid until July 2021) or be canceled.
The artistic director Alexander Liebreich also expressed great regret: “The cancellation of the Richard Strauss Festival for 2020 is particularly difficult for our team, all those responsible and me personally, but the health of the individual and of society in general has the highest Priority. If we can learn something from the crisis, then it is certain how important culture is for our living together. ”It is not just about classical music; All forms of creative action and expanded thinking ensure the necessary quality of survival in this difficult time of limitation. "We hope that in June 2021 we will be able to take up and celebrate the topic of" Humanitas.Mensch "in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and its wonderful Werdenfelser Land at concerts and encounters in nature with full force." To develop tradition like that of the Richard Strauss Festival carefully and to anchor it sustainably. "Let us preserve the original concept of culture, interpersonal relationships, intercultural exchange and freedom of thought."
