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NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedAugust 14, 2026Miami-Dade

Salzburg Festival stages Olivier Messiaen's opera 'Saint François d’Assise'

The Salzburg Festival is presenting a new production of Olivier Messiaen’s opera 'Saint François d’Assise' to mark the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death. The production features a large-scale cast, live animals, and on-stage bread baking, with performances running through August 23.

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Why It Matters

This production represents a rare staging of a complex, six-hour contemporary opera that requires significant logistical resources, including a 120-piece orchestra and a 90-person chorus.

Key Facts

  • The opera 'Saint François d’Assise' lasts 6 hours and 20 minutes, including two one-hour intermissions.
  • The score consists of 2,500 pages of music.
  • The production features 120 musicians and a chorus of 90.
  • The staging includes live animals: a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, a female peacock, and seven sheep.
  • Two industrial MIWE ovens are used on stage to bake 33 sourdough loaves during the performance.
  • The production runs for six performances ending on Aug. 23.
  • The opera premiered in 1983 and was composed by Olivier Messiaen over nearly a decade.
  • The Felsenreitschule theater has a capacity of 1,400 seats.
  • The production is timed for the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis.

Who's Mentioned

locationFelsenreitschule“The 1,400-seat theater where the opera is performed.”personMaxime Pascal“Conductor of the production.”personOlivier Messiaen“Composer of the opera 'Saint François d’Assise'.”organizationSalzburg Festival“The organization hosting the opera production.”organizationVienna Philharmonic“The orchestra performing the music.”personPhilippe Sly“Canadian bass-baritone performing the title role of St. Francis.”