Curtains Up!

Ruth Walz (b. 1941) is a German theatre photographer acclaimed for her long-time collaborations with directors such as Luc Bondy, Klaus Michael Grüber, Peter Sellars and Peter Stein. After many years as a stage photographer at Berlin’s Schaubühne theatre, Walz continues to document the history-steeped Salzburg Festival to this day – resulting in encounters with world-renowned artists such as William Kentridge or Robert Wilson, and extraordinary photographs of Salzburg’s magnificent Felsenreitschule concert hall. Walz’s images of the ‘Prometheus’ premiere in 1986, with Bruno Ganz in the title role, are just some of many famous examples.

The Museum der Moderne in Salzburg currently celebrates Ruth Walz’s work with a comprehensive exhibition, on view at its Old Town (Rupertinum) location until 12 November, 2023. The showcase focuses on comparative views of opera productions, created for the Salzburg Festival by different directors across the decades: Robert Wilson’s interpretation of Bartók’s ‘Duke Bluebeard's Castle’ from the year 1995, is juxtaposed with performances by the Catalan theatre company La Fura dels Baus in 2007, or Romeo Castellucci’s orchestration for the festival’s 2022 edition.

Walz not only photographs on stage, but also captures spontaneous shots behind the scenes. Her powerful, expressive portraits offer fascinating insights into theatre life, and are a testament to her deep connection with the world of opera. “For me, it’s always been especially important that I’m not merely an outsider who documents the final performance, but a participating observer who accompanies the creative process from the very beginning,” the photographer explains.