The Jedermann-stage is taking shape

The preparations are in full swing

As we step out of the shadows of the cathedral arches and onto sun-drenched Cathedral Square, we encounter a hive of activity. Countless workers scurry back and forth between the half-built viewing stands and the venerable Salzburg Cathedral itself, running cables from A to B or transporting equipment across the square on forklifts. Right in front of us, two technicians jauntily sporting safety helmets clamber into a compact crane to get a bird’s-eye view of the progress. As we approach, the sunlight reflects off the imposing steel frame, which now occupies a large portion of Cathedral Square.

In two weeks, everything must be ready

The stage technicians, electricians, hydraulics experts and set designers still have a lot to do before the famous Jedermann can begin revelling in front of the cathedral with his illustrious cast of companions. As many as 22 workers are involved in building the stands and stage, we learn from Christian Müller, head of the set workshops and deputy technology director for the Salzburg Festival. Construction of the viewing stands begins every year on the first day after Corpus Christi. Once the famous Jedermann benches have been completed – seating more than 2400 – the stage is delivered. In total, the team has around two weeks to complete all of the preparations.

The ground changes from one season to the next

For a project of this magnitude – which involves tasks such as laying around 7 km of cable – two weeks just doesn’t seem like an awfully long time. Thus, it is no wonder, that workers on the Cathedral Square don’t want to waste a second. We sit down on a bench, from where we observe the construction efforts for a while. The workers adhere strictly to a meticulous plan devised by the technical supervisors. The technical set-up of such a complex stage in such a short time, calls for the expertise of experienced technicians on-site, Christian Müller tells us later. They must take into account certain variables. For example, the fact that the level of the ground on the Cathedral Square changes from one season to the next – sometimes by as much as 6 cm. We are quite astonished by that little piece of information, and take a closer look at the ground under our feet. Needless to say, nothing unusual catches our eye – which makes us realise the level of skill and attention to detail the technicians must exhibit.

When the weather doesn't oblige

All of the exertion is forgotten as soon as the curtain rises and the world-famous "Play of the Rich Man's Death" begins. That said, what happens if the weather decides to disrupt festival team’s plans? The decision to relocate a performance to the Grosses Festspielhaus is made by the festival directorate in close consultation with the drama department and the Austrian meteorological office (Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik or ZAMG for short), Christian Müller explains. Ideally, the potential change of venue is announced by three hours before the performance starts – in this case, things have to happen quickly: all the props have to be transported from the Cathedral Square to the Grosses Festspielhaus. The stage set, however, does not have to be moved – there are two: those intended for the Grosses Festspielhaus have been adapted slightly to meet the technical constraints of an opera house. Once this is all taken care of, the world-famous stage play performance can go ahead without rain.

High summer and a hot-air balloon

Slowly, it gets a bit too hot for us on our bench and we decide to pay a visit to one of the many ice cream parlours in the Old Town. Before we leave, we take another quick look at the busy workers. Many of the men and women who are tirelessly going about their work on Cathedral Square have a film of sweat on their brows. Even the performers, who will begin rehearsing here in just a couple of days, occasionally find the mid-summer heat challenging, reveals Christian Müller. At one point, they even toyed with the idea of a hot-air balloon to provide a manoeuvrable source of shade – intended as a joke, of course. After all, with the mysterious and magical atmosphere surrounding the performances of the Salzburg Festival each year, it’s probably better to stay firmly grounded.
 

• read more about the "Jedermann" at the Cathedral Square