Eröffnung der Wiener Festwochen 2026

The 75th anniversary of one of Austria's flagship arts festivals, on the most exposed square in Vienna. Around 256 input channels, an audience of 120,000, and a bill running back-to-back from Patti Smith to heavy metal, rap, indie rock, traditional music, a string quartet, a full choir, an opera singer and a didgeridoo — all inside strict inner-city SPL limits.

A d&b GSL/SL-Sub design modelled around the noise restrictions, five DiGiCo consoles (2× 852, 338, 326, 112) split across two FOH positions and monitors, and a dedicated broadcast sound position feeding ORF 2, 3sat and ORF ON. Changeovers were prepped so each act arrived at a system already set for it.

A 90-minute show delivered clean to a 120,000-strong square and to a national television and streaming audience, with every genre given its own voice and none of them fighting the limits.