Mary is probably one of the most famous women in history. She embodies many aspects of the past, the present, faith and daily life. As a young woman she became an unplanned mother, she had to leave her homeland and witness the death of her son. If we disregard her religious significance for a moment, some of the stages of her life read like tragic realities that could hardly be more topical. At the same time, her person stands for positive values such as family and security, a strong wife and mother, love and support, healing and protection. To pick up on this year's motto: Mary moves ...To pay musical homage to her means for us to immerse ourselves in the history of women in Baroque music. Be it as a composer, musician or muse. Women were and are deeply interwoven in the history of music. We want to bring them before the curtain as part of the International Baroque Festival Stift Melk 2025 and pay them our musical respects.
Michael Schade, Artistic Director