The magic of times past: Andrea Stockhammer

Andrea Stockhammer, you've been directing the DomQuartier since October 2022. What appeals to you about this task?

This historic entity formed by secular residence, metropolitan church and archabbey is really something exceptional. These three elements are very different in character, making for a fascinating combination. Also, I enjoy working with collections where there's a historical connection between the art treasures and the place they're kept and displayed.

The DomQuartier was formed in 2014, incorporating the institutions of Residenz state-rooms, Residenzgalerie, Cathedral Museum and St. Peter's Museum. What opportunities and challenges did this involve?

I am convinced that the DomQuartier is indispensable for the cultural identity of the Town and the Province of Salzburg. We have the opportunity and the responsibility for bringing to life these historic roots. The DomQuartier is the very heart of Salzburg's World Heritage Site, and still combines the secular and the spiritual. I find it particularly interesting that therefore intangible values also play a role here. Monstrances and other liturgical utensils are not merely museum exhibits, but are still used in High Masses. A particular challenge is that the Museum as a whole is a round tour, which is difficult to shorten. We have to provide visitors with orientation to enable them to explore this cosmos in the time available, so that they can experience it as a personal enhancement.

The legacy of the prince-archbishops is visible and perceptible throughout the town, though for many perhaps not always consciously. How can you make this tangible today?

Our advantage is that we don't function like a "white cube" in which we've mounted an exhibition about the prince-archbishops. We are THE authentic experiential location for baroque Salzburg, for the magnificent courts of the prince-archbishops. It is a sensuous experience to walk through these rooms. Standing in the organ gallery of the Cathedral, many people experience immersion in the atmosphere as a spiritual moment. It is important to look at all the beautiful objects not simply as art, but to explain their function and their significance. Special events such as festivities and concerts help people to imagine themselves in historical situations. Multi-media communication will also play a greater role in future.

The DomQuartier has a significant role in the town's musical history. What can you tell us about that?

Salzburg was awarded World Heritage status partly because of its significance for the history of music, especially the link with Mozart. Distinction for intangible values is awarded only if, for instance, buildings are still preserved as immediate testimony – such as the Salzburg Cathedral and Residenz for Mozart's life and work. He composed works specifically for these places, and himself performed there. He appreciated the wide variety of occasions for which he had to provide the musical setting. The fantastic thing is that these very rooms have been preserved so authentically that the acoustics are still similar to those of Mozart's day – and it is in this tradition that we hold select concerts In the DomQuartier.

Major alterations are planned for the DomQuartier in the near future. What can visitors look forward to?

The DomQuartier will have a visitor centre. We need a place where we can explain who we are, and where it is made clear that this complex structure is more than simply the sum of its parts. This form of communication will take place on the ground floor of the Residenz. We are delighted that the Cathedral Archaeological Museum is to be renovated, and the Roman archaeological exhibits from Salzburg Museum will be displayed in our cellar vaults, thus extending our story back to the beginnings of the town. We will enhance the quality of service for our visitors with a new orientation system, and the climatic conditions in the Residenzgalerie will have the necessary improvement.

How are you marking the 10th anniversary of the DomQuartier?

This year's main highlight is the spectacular exhibition of Venetian painting in the Residenzgalerie. It will be the first guest appearance of the Vienna Modern Art Museum in Salzburg, bringing major works ranging from Titian through Tintoretto and Veronese to Canaletto. We will show the incredible success story of the Venetian painting of Titian and his contemporaries, which has echoed through the centuries. There will be an Open Day, special concerts and a Venetian festivity on 31 August, in which we invite the entire town to participate. A further highlight will be the presentation of the restored Cross of St Rupert, on St Rupert's day (Rupertitag), as the Cathedral Museum celebrates its 50th anniversary. We will also take part in World Heritage Day, with an interactive 3D visualisation bringing to life more than 1,000 years of building history in the Cathedral precinct.

The DomQuartier has many stories to tell. Which of them should one really know?

I find the life-story of Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau fascinating, and at the same time important for Salzburg: his socialisation in Rome with his uncle, Cardinal Altemps; how he brought to Salzburg the new baroque style and enthusiasm for Italy; the boundless creative drive with which he tackled the challenge of building the New Residenz and remodelling the town centre; the love story with Salome Alt, whom he would have wanted to marry; his intransigence in the conflict with Bavaria; his capture as he fled, and his tragic end, a prisoner in Hohensalzburg Fortress. A story fit for Hollywood.

Where in Salzburg – outside the DomQuartier – is the legacy of the prince-archbishops especially perceptible?

In Hellbrunn, the pleasure palace of Markus Sittikus – a truly magical place! Here, too, the love of Italy is evident in the work of architect Santino Solari and painter Arsenio Mascagni. Like the Residenz, this palace was the scene of opulent festivities, with the fountains, Roman theatre and grottos. I would love to have been a guest at one of Markus Sittikus' parties!

Where in Salzburg do you find timeless beauty?

In summer, I like to sit at the pavement café of Salzburg Museum and look over the Residenzplatz to the Residenz and the Cathedral. When the water splashes in the fountain in bright sunshine, I feel as though I'm in Italy. This has grandezza – for me this is timeless beauty.