VIENNA (AP) The Salzburg Festival's next artistic director has an ear for his singers' and musicians' complaints he wants to cut down on performances at the prestigious annual event.
Markus Hinterhaeuser says he and other festival organizers "have to know what can be reasonably expected from our artists."
His comments Thursday on the website of Austrian state broadcaster ORF follow objections from performers at this year's festival about the number of operas and concerts they were expected to participate in.
Salzburg Mayor Heinz Schaden has described this year's festival as an example of artistic "overkill."
Hinterhaeuser's appointment, effective 2016, was announced Wednesday. He will succeed Alexander Pereira.
