Hi all,
Only 4 more weeks until our trip!
I want to see the marionette theather in Salzburg. The dates that we are there, we will have only 2 options, a short play at 2 p.m. "The Best of Mozart" and a 2 hr. play at 7:30 p.m. "Sound of Music". I am more interested in the large puppets and how they work than in the actual play. as in-- Wow! How'd they do that!
For those of you that have been, which one of the plays would you chose? We are staying in Bertchesgaden and I did not know if driving from Salzburg to Bertchesgadan at 10:00 p.m. would be a problem.
I am getting so excited!

Thanks for your help.
Theresa

Hi,
While we never saw the shows, driving from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden is very easy no matter what the time.

I've been and you won't regret attending. I would choose the longer of the two shows.

I attended a performance of The Magic Flute by Mozart. The music is recorded, and the sound system is good.

I agree with Dukey. Go to the longer one and sit close to the front.

We've been several times and I would agree with the others . . . choose the longer program at 7:30 PM. Park in the underground 'Mirabel Parking Garage' directly across the street from the front entrance to Mirabel Palace. Walk to the corner left of Mirabel Palace, turn right and go to the next corner and turn right again and the Marionette Theater is just around that corner. Very short walk.

The drive from Berchtesgaden is a straight shot. As you approach Salzburg from Berchtesgaden don't get on the A-1 to get downtown. Continue straight through at Anif and that street (4 lanes) will take you downtown. Follow the 'Centrum' signs and watch for the blue signs with a 'P' (parking) and 'Mirabel'

Do you need to get tickets in advance for the marionnette shows or can we wait until we arrive in Salzburg?

I bought in advance for an afternoon performance, but the theater was not full. If you want a good choice of seats, buy in advance.

Our hotel in Salzburg sold us the tickets. We got good seats whereas had we waited we might have been farther back from the stage.

I really don't know how well evening performances sell. Given that you will be there in less than prime tourist season, and that the audience for SOM will be mostly American, attendance might be a little less in May than it would be in July.

The Austrians by the way have interest in SOM mostly because it brings in money from American tourists.

I never did figure out why that gazebo used for the tryst between the oldest daughter and the post office boy was not repainted and put up as a tourist attraction.

When I last saw it, it was sitting somewhere in the trees at Schloss Hellbrunn virtually neglected in terms of maintenance.

It really is not impressive looking at all.

We saw The Magic Flute in the evening last June and we all enjoyed it. A short blip on each scene is flashed in English so that you know what is going on, but it definitely isn't distracting in any way from the marionette show or the music. We were staying at Haus am Moos, a 10-15 minute drive from central Salzburg, and we didn't have any problems making our way home. We ate dinner after the show so we weren't driving back until close to midnight.

The Marionette theatre in Salzburg is fantastic. I went almost 15 years ago and I still have very fond memories. We saw Don Goivanni. I would go to either show. Do what works best for your schedule. You will not be disappointed.

Texas Aggie - we will be staying at haus am moos as well. We will be there in June. Magic Flute is not available when we are there so I think we will see SOM. So, it isn't a problem to find something open AFTER the show for dinner? I hate having to rush through dinner to make a show so always like the option of eating later.

We saw Magic Flute and the experience is wonderful. I would try however to get seats as close as you possibly can to the stage - it will be much more enriching because you can see more detail. Wish we had been closer - we were in middle portion of the theater.

Is there a website that could give me more specific information about the Salzburg marionette shows?

www.marionetten.at

Hi jgg,

There were not too many restaurants still open after the marionette theater, but we came across a decent place (not fancy but cheap and seemingly fair for the price) called Sternbrau Inn that was open until midnight and pretty close to the theater. It was kind of a conglomeration of different restaurants in a courtyard/garden. We chose Burgerstube and were pleased overall.