Shirley Apthorp [Bloomberg.com, 27 July 2006]

July 27 (Bloomberg) -- The Salzburg audience wastes no time. Jurgen Flimm doesn't take over the Festival until 2007, but they are already booing him.

Flimm has announced that he won't foist his own productions on Salzburg once he holds the artistic director's scepter. On the strength of the July 25 premiere, that is a good thing. This co- production with Venice's La Fenice, played for a gala crowd in the Felsenreitschule, was well below the standards you might reasonably hope for at 330 euros ($416) a ticket.