Hallstatt hosts a Schmalnauer concert on 23 October

Hallstatt in Austria hosts a 23 October concert with Ars Antiqua Austria and the St. Florianer Sängerknaben, featuring music by Johann Michael Schmalnauer.

Hallstatt hosts a Schmalnauer concert at its Catholic parish church on 23 October 2026, bringing Ars Antiqua Austria and the St. Florianer Sängerknaben to the lakeside town. The programme recalls Johann Michael Schmalnauer, who was born in Hallstatt in 1771 and whose music returns to his former home.

Hallstatt schedules its Schmalnauer concert for 23 October

The concert begins at 6.30pm on Friday, 23 October 2026, at the Catholic parish and pilgrimage church in Hallstatt. The date and venue are listed by the Hallstatt municipal events calendar.

Ars Antiqua Austria performs with the St. Florianer Sängerknaben. Gunar Letzbor leads the ensemble, while Franz Farnberger directs the singers. The concert is a joint project of the municipality and the Catholic parish, according to the parish announcement for 23 October.

The programme focuses on Schmalnauer, a composer and salt master whose life connected music with the region's historic salt industry. His Christnacht-Messe from 1800 is named as one of the concert's central works, alongside other compositions by the Hallstatt-born musician.

Hallstatt places the concert within its salt-mining heritage

The concert takes place in a parish church within the historic settlement rather than at a separate festival site. That setting links a contemporary performance to the town's documented religious and architectural heritage, while the composer connects the music to Hallstatt's own history.

The Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape is listed among Austria's World Heritage sites. The Austrian UNESCO Commission describes the region through its prehistoric salt-mining tradition, archaeological remains, the Salzberg and the Gothic and Baroque architecture associated with the salt trade.

Hallstatt's place in that landscape gives the October programme a specific local context. Visitors attending the concert will encounter a performance about a historical figure from the town in one of the religious buildings that forms part of its built environment, rather than a general music event merely staged nearby.

Visiting Hallstatt: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Schmalnauer concert takes place on 23 October 2026 at the Catholic parish and pilgrimage church in Hallstatt.
• The listed programme includes Ars Antiqua Austria, the St. Florianer Sängerknaben and music by Johann Michael Schmalnauer. The sources do not state a change to ordinary access elsewhere in the town.
• Hallstatt is in Austria's Salzkammergut on the Hallstättersee. The event venue is the Catholic parish church in the historic town, so the concert visit is centred on the settlement rather than the mountain salt mine.
• The surrounding World Heritage landscape combines the lakeside town with the Salzberg, forests, archaeological evidence and the wider Dachstein area. Visitors planning additional sightseeing should allow for mountain terrain beyond the church.

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Frequently asked questions about Hallstatt

When does the Schmalnauer concert take place at Hallstatt?

The concert takes place at 6.30pm on 23 October 2026 at the Catholic parish and pilgrimage church.

What is the Schmalnauer concert in Hallstatt?

It is a concert of music by Johann Michael Schmalnauer, performed by Ars Antiqua Austria and the St. Florianer Sängerknaben.

Where is Hallstatt and how do you get there?

Hallstatt is a lakeside town in Austria's Salzkammergut on the Hallstättersee. The event is held in the Catholic parish church in the historic settlement.